"Starship Down" is the 79th episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the sixth episode of the fourth season. Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures on Deep Space Nine, a space station located near a stable wormhole between the Alpha and Gamma quadrants of the galaxy; the Gamma Quadrant is home to a powerful empire known as the Dominion. In this episode, the Deep Space Nine staff host secret trade negotiations with a Dominion subject aboard the starship Defiant, but the ship is heavily damaged in an attack by the Dominion's Jem'Hadar soldiers. This episode aired in broadcast syndication television on November 13, 1995. Writing This episode was written by David Mack and John J. Ordover. Writer David Mack stated that the inspiration for this episode came from the 1981 Wolfgang Petersen film Das Boot. These two writers also wrote the Star Trek comic book series Divided We Fall. Plot The Federation starship Defiant carries the senior staff of Deep Space Nine into the Gamma Quadrant to settle trade arrangements with the Karemma representative, Hanok. As the Dominion disapproves of trading with the Federation, the talks take place secretly in orbit around a gas giant and are mediated by the Ferengi Quark. Hanok is disgusted to learn that Quark has been lining his pockets by imposing fictitious Federation tariffs. The negotiations are interrupted when a pair of Jem'Hadar ships fire on the Karemma ship. The Jem'Hadar chase the ship into the atmosphere of the gas giant, and the Defiant takes off in pursuit. The Jem'Hadar open fire on the Defiant, crippling it in the turbulent fluorine atmosphere of the planet. Science Officer Jadzia Dax heads below to try to repair the engines. She is successful but is nearly blown out of the ship when the hull is breached. Dr. Bashir saves her, but they are trapped in a turbolift shaft with a diminishing supply of oxygen and without communication with the rest of the crew, who presume them lost. One of the Jem'Hadar ships attacks. The Defiant destroys it, but not before it is able to render the Defiant helpless again; Captain Sisko is gravely injured with a concussion. Major Kira tends to him, trying to keep him conscious. Quark is trapped in the mess hall with Hanok, where a live Jem'Hadar torpedo lodges itself in the hull. Combining their cleverness—and