Rank: Captain
 Current assignment: commanding officer, Deep Space Nine/U.S.S. Defiant
 Full Name: Benjamin Lafayette Sisko
 Year of birth: 2332
 Place of birth: New Orleans, Earth
 Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Sisko
 Education: Starfleet Academy, 2350-54
 Marital status: Widowed: married to Jennifer Sisko 2354-67
 Children: One son, Jake, born 2355

 Starfleet Career Summary

 prior: -- Assigned to U.S.S. Livingston and, under Capt. Leyton, promoted to
 lieutenant commander and first officer of U.S.S. Okinawa

 2367 -- As lieutenant commander and first officer of U.S.S. Saratoga, survived ship's
 loss at Battle of Wolf 359 against Borg; assigned to Utopia Planetia Shipyards on
 Mars and oversaw development of Defiant-class warship, later mothballed

 2369 -- Agrees to lead Starfleet contingent on Bajoran-owned Deep Space Nine;
 helped discover Bajoran wormhole, make first contact with its builders, the nonlinear
 "Prophets"

 2370 -- Made first contact with the Jem'Hadar and Dominion in Gamma Quadrant

 2371 -- Given command of experimental U.S.S. Defiant to beef up DS9 defenses; later
 promoted to captain

 2372 -- Temporary assignment, Chief of Starfleet Security on Earth

 2373 -- Single-handedly postponed Bajoran admission into UFP based on "visions"
 from "Prophet" aliens

 Psychological Profile, Medical File Extract:
 Report of Chief Medical Officer Julian Bashir, M.D. (acting in counselor's
 capacity)
 ***Starfleet Biographical File appended

 Following the tragedy of his wife's death fighting the Borg at Wolf 359, Sisko entered
 a dark period for three years at Utopia Planetia and very nearly resigned from Starfleet
 rather than take the Deep Space Nine assignment - until an encounter with the
 Bajorans' "Prophet" aliens and the discovery of their wormhole jump-started his
 healing and set him on an ongoing journey in that role, energizing his life once again.
 Moreover, his one-time ambitions to make admiral as soon as possible have yielded
 to his realization that he's more suited to making decisions work than just making
 them - a prime reason for his success as a "builder" at DS9 and for Bajoran-UFP
 relations, along with defending against external threats such as the Dominion, the
 Maquis, and foreign powers.

 Sisko is very much proud of his New Orleans upbringing, where his father was a
 gourmet chef and insisted the family dine together to try out his new dishes. Sisko
 had worked summers in his father's restaurant, simply called Sisko's where he had a
 job by age 15. Along with his brothers he has a sister, who lives in Portland, Ore.; the
 boys had to pick vegetables in their family garden as youngsters. He had a crush on
 one Effie Beaumont, but later dated Zoey Phillips for three years.

 Sisko had been so homesick during his first week at the Academy that he beamed
 home at 6:30 for dinner to New Orleans, where his mother was still alive. Today Sisko
 worries about his elderly father's health and heart condition, and at one point felt
 helpless when it appeared he would indeed die. The elder Sisko refuses to leave his
 business and make the long journey to DS9, so visits are few and far between.

 During his academy years Sisko was captain of the wrestling team in 2351, and
 served his sophomore field study at Starbase 137. One cadet Sisko knew at SFA
 was Laporin, a Benzenite.

 A fellow Academy graduate was Cal Hudson, who shared his love of baseball and
 ambition to make captain by 30 and admiral by 40; they remained close until the
 Maquis crisis of 2370 split their loyalties. Another friend is now the captain of the
 U.S.S. Venture; another is the Tholian ambassador at DS9.

 As a "raw cadet" he also met Curzon Dax, a joined Trill and Federation official who
 became his mentor through many years and assignments; when the two first met on
 Pelios Station, a woman named Anastasia was somehow involved. A perpetual
 womanizer, Curzon joined him as a first-rate carouser at least until Sisko's late 20s,
 well after Jake's birth. Curzon had attended his wedding and wild bachelor party as
 well. They toured the Cliffs of Bole together, often visited Risa, and he once bet he
 and Hudson's dom-jot play against two Zakdorn at Pelios Station.

 Sisko met his future wife Jennifer on Earth immediately at Gilgo Beach after his
 Academy graduation in 2354, and they soon grew serious about marriage. They once
 shared a trip to the Mazurka Festival on New Berlin with the Hudsons; ironically,
 Gretchen Hudson died within the first year of Sisko's stint on DS9. After Jake's birth
 the men recalled their best family trip ever was camping on Itamish III.

 Sisko and Curzon served some months on the U.S.S. Livingston. He was a veteran of
 the last UFP-Tzenkethi War during his tenure as lieutenant and lieutenant
 commander under Capt. Leyton on the U.S.S. Okinawa. Leyton promoted him in rank
 to become his first officer, and helped nurture his career beyond a basic interest in
 engineering and ship design.

 Sisko's next assignment, on the Saratoga, came to an abrupt end in early 2367 at
 Wolf 359, where his wife was killed amid their cabin's debris and he and Jake barely
 escaped. (A reunion with Jennifer was bittersweet when the short-lived encounter
 occurred in the mirror universe after he was forced to replace his counterpart, the
 assassinated leader of the Terran Rebellion, in talking her out of working on a deadly
 project for the Alliance there. This doppelganger also lured Jake over a year later to
 coerce Sisko in helping build that universe's Defiant for the rebels.)

 Leyton, later an admiral, nominated Sisko for the DS9 post when it came open upon
 the Cardassian withdrawal, but he took it without conviction, still not over his wife's
 death; his displeasure turned more solid when his send-off came from Capt. Jean-Luc
 Picard, who was kidnapped and for a time transformed by the Borg to lead the Wolf
 359 assault. While considering a resignation to escape the post, Sisko considered
 directing construction of orbital habitats on Earth - the field of astrionics he was asked
 to teach at the University of Vasteras in Sweden. Instead, Sisko not only decided to
 stay but convinced Bajorans and Promenade merchants like Quark to stay.

 Sisko's comfort level in his role at DS9 and as a religious icon to Bajor has gradually
 developed as he's grown comfortable in both roles. Dukat once called him the most
 joyless and least vulnerable human he's met - a compliment that was eventually
 rescinded. Torn between the important joint subspace relay project with Cardassia
 and the looming chance it might be a foretold catastrophe of Bajoran prophesy, he
 went ahead with a risky save that not only allowed the relay to work but fulfilled the
 prophecy in a different way. The incident left him more open and reflective about other
 prophecies regarding the "Emissary," whose arrival is now celebrated annually as the
 Ha'mara. He sat in for the ailing Bareil during the secret Bajoran-Cardassian peace
 talks on DS9, but refused Kai Winn's later request for Starfleet Security troops or aid
 during her hunt for fugitive Shakaar, based on Prime Directive.

 Sisko does have a temper and is usually unswervable when his mind is made up. He
 carries a small scar on his lower lip from the impact of a ring where Curzon decked
 him after he took on an Argosian lieutenant. As a junior officer on VIP escort, he once
 slugged a visiting ambassador for sexually harassing a female ensign. When
 perturbed in surprise he often utters an odd yipping sound.

 He initially butted heads with Kira and Odo, including a case where she went over his
 head to Starfleet, but he grew to value their opinions and abilities as time passed.
 Sisko has stood by Kira during her battles with the Bajoran Provisional Government
 and been aware of her discomfort at his dual role as her religion's "Emissary."
 Likewise, he has defended Odo's performance from past criticism by Starfleet
 regulars, and refused to desert him more than once.

 It is certainly with Dax that Sisko has the most history. He still calls her Curzon's "old
 man" nickname and continues their friendship as one of many years, despite Dax's
 new outward form - a rare break for Trills who usually are barred from such
 reassociation. He and Dax lost touch after Jennifer's death early in 2367; Curzon
 slowly slid into death and Dax was joined to Jadzia later that year. He hated to see
 her go to be with the Meridians, but unlike Curzon he knew she'd thought it through.
 He never thought he'd get used to the "new Dax," but he threatened to turn Trill
 society upside-down by revealing the Joran scandal after the long quest with Bashir to
 save Jadzia's life. After taking the risk of embodying the murderous Joran for Dax's
 zhian'tara, he counseled her not to let Curzon manipulate her again in Odo's form. In
 return, Dax may have a latent attraction to him, since under the effects of Lwaxana
 Troi's Zanthi fever she can't keep away from him.

 Sisko has long shared his love of baseball with Jake, aided by a holo-program he
 brought to DS9. Early on he is wary of losing personal time with him to the demands
 of work, and at first banned his friendship with the Ferengi boy Nog until he got to
 know him better. The landmarks of Jake's aging often leave him confused or anxious,
 as when he first dated. He knew Jake was writing, though he'd try to hide it, but Sisko
 was not ready to let him become a matchmaker and was miffed that his private life
 was so well known before he even met Kasidy Yates. Still he and the freighter captain
 did hit it off - especially when she revealed her brother plays baseball in a Cestus III
 colony revival league. Sisko later risked shooting a then-allied Klingon ship to rescue
 her freighter shortly before the alliance breakup.

 Aside from Yates, Sisko's romantic life since Jennifer's death had only included
 Fenna, a telepathic psychoprojective alter ego of the Halanan woman Nidell Seyetik in
 2370.

 Sisko maintains a healthy recreational life, led by his inherited love of cooking,
 especially Cajun, and occasionally prepares a hands-on meal for the staff; an old
 recipes for Creole shrimp is how he finally got to know Jake's onetime girlfriend Marta,
 his poetry and dom-jot talents. He also cooks Hungarian food when in a good mood.
 His usual drink on duty is coffee - more specifically the Klingon variety, raktajino -
 especially first thing in the morning; even Dukat knows about it. Kira could set her
 watch by it during his first year.

 Sisko collects ancient African art and after two years finally brought it to DS9. In
 2371, Sisko threw himself into the project of building by hand and flying an ancient
 Bajoran solar-sail craft with Jake with a zest not seen since he built Jake's nursery -
 and wound up proving a Bajoran legend about early contact with Cardassia.

 His love of baseball includes a holo-program of famous stars, including his hero Buck
 Bokai, and a baseball kept on display on his desk; when playing, he's a right-handed
 pitcher. He also keeps up with soccer, but he has no bluff in poker and is outclassed
 by O'Brien and Bashir in darts. He does play 2-D and 3-D chess, often with Dax.
 Befitting the crossroads culture of his command, he's been reading up on the Ferengi
 Rules of Acquisition as of his third year on the station, and hosted a Gratitude Dinner
 during the same-named Bajoran festival in 2371.

 Professional Assessment: Report of Starfleet Command Evaluation
 Board

 Sisko has been an exemplary commander in the new hot spot at DS9, although at
 times he has shown a streak of stubborn independence that has defied orders yet
 carried the day in the long run. He disobeyed direct orders to stay at DS9 during the
 Romulan-Cardassian covert invasion of the Dominion, and risked the Defiant to
 retrieve Odo anyway; at another time he delayed delivery of a Jem'Hadar youth until
 he made his escape, trusting in Odo's belief the boy could be raised against his
 genetic programming to fight. In still another instance, he liberally interpreted the word
 evacuate during the Bajoran coup threat to delay the withdrawal of his forces.

 When trapped in the 21st century's Bell Riots, he risked his life to assume the
 identity of prematurely killed riot namesake Gabriel Bell and even took a bullet in the
 shoulder to preserve the timeline after he and Doctor Bashir's accidental arrival. Sisko
 has also made a bit of history in 2371 as the first sponsor of a Ferengi cadet to
 Starfleet Academy, Rom's son and Jake's friend Nog - but not before putting the boy
 to the test.

 While Sisko's direct intervention to rescue Cardassia's civilian Detepa Council may
 have been questionable with Klingons nearing Cardassia Prime, along with the
 unauthorized use of the cloaking device, his heavily re-armed station helped persuade
 Gowron that division among Alpha Quadrant powers is exactly what the Dominion
 Founders want.

 Sisko has risked his life on more than one occasion in the line of duty, including
 working from the Cardassian War Room to retrieved the Defiant when stolen by Tom
 Riker of the Maquis, then negotiating for the release of hostage Kira, the ship and its
 Maquis crew in return for surrendering their leader without the customary death
 sentence in store. He was also ready to self-destruct the Defiant rather than let it
 start another war with the Tzenkethi as part of a Dominion Founders sabotage.

 UPDATE: Psycho-medical File, CMO J. Bashir reporting
 SD 50500

 As times have grow tense at DS9, Captain Sisko has risen to the challenge. With
 only the help of Odo and Nog he foiled a martial-law coup on Earth led by Admiral
 Leyton in mid-2372, even though it pit him against his longtime mentor and senior
 officer; he formed an uneasy partnership with the Jem'Hadar to subdue rebels trying to
 use ancient Iconian doorways; and he led the team that unmasked the Changeling
 double of Gowron's top aide Martok.

 And I must say he has grown increasingly comfortable as Bajor's Emissary,
 especially since he had to "fight" for the role of religious icon from well-intentioned
 poet Akorem Laan later in 2372. This episode probably best prepared him for the
 experiences of a year later, when a post-neural shock helped the captain discover the
 ancient lost holy city of B'hala on Bajor after 20,000 years, and to seeing cryptic
 visions of the future. Now that this doctor can reflect from a distance, I am not sure
 what was more shocking: that without Jake's intervention to authorize corrective
 treatment he would have sacrificed his life to continue, that he called off Bajor's UFP
 admission based on a vision, or that he finally has Kai Winn's respect.

 To the surprise of no one, and just as he had promised her, the captain resumed his
 relationship with Kasidy Yates when she returned from her six-month sentence for
 aiding the Maquis -- about the same time as his pagh'tem'far visions began. The
 intimacy and its consequences in hindsight have appeared to have little effect on his
 command ability, other than in a positive way.

 AUTOMATED FILE REPORT: Agent X. Dulmer, Temporal Investigation
 SD 50200

 Upon review of the customary evidence and interviews of all subjects involved by this
 agent and Agent Lucsley, it is our determination that no lasting contamination in this
 timeline resulted from Sisko's accidental use of the Bajoran Orb of Time to visit 2367
 and the NCC-1701, J.T. Kirk commanding.

 My only regret on this trip is in not visiting more of this station, which I have heard so
 much about.

 ADDENDUM: Adm. Charles Whatley, Starfleet Command
 SD 50500

 What do I say about Ben Sisko? First he and his crew are decorated for retrieving a
 new and fairly intact Jem'Hadar cruiser, and then he goes and starts having these odd
 Bajoran "visions" and postpones -- maybe even sinks for good -- the very Federation
 admission for Bajor that he's worked for five years. Not to mention his run-in again
 with the Temporal Investigations boys, after his run-in with the time-hopper of all
 "time," JTK.

 Any other officer would have been yanked for that, or at least reassigned, but I have a
 hunch about Ben. I also have a hunch that any sudden action by this "secular"
 authority regarding Bajor's Emissary will not be received well by the locals.

 Despite our earlier choice to take him off the mission, I must also commend Sisko for
 his handling of the Eddington affair and the virtual end to Maquis operations that
 brought. And yes, his covert team sent to check out whether Gowron had been
 replaced by a Changeling was well done, and likely helped set up the current
 armistice.

 I suppose the fact that his psychographic profile is now required reading for Dominion
 Vorta field supervisors means something.