"The Maquis" is a two part episode from season 2 and was written by
| Teleplay by | James Cocker (Part I) Ira Steven Behr (Part II) |
|---|---|
| Story by | Rick Berman (Parts I & II) Michael Piller (Parts I & II) Jeri Taylor (Parts I & II) |
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Maquis
The Maquis is a resistance group made up of colonists along the demilitarized zone near Cardassian space. The Central Command of the Cardassian government are supplying weapons to the Cardassians on the colonies also inhabited by Bajoran and other races in a treaty pact with the Federation. The Maquis are fighting the Cardassians in the guise of self-defense but are also acting in, what Commander Hudson says, (stationed by the Federation at the demilitarized zone and good friend of Commander Sisko's,) "retaliation."
Hudson is actually a member of the Marquis and is part of the renegades that have abducted Gul Dukat, believing him to be involved in weapons transportation. However, a member of Central Command pays Sisko a visit to the station and says that he knows that Dukat has been running weapons and will pay for his crimes. Neither Sisko or Kira believe him, but at least he did admit that someone in Central Command is supplying weapons to the demilitarized zone.
Sisko and his team rescue Dukat and inform him about what Central Command said, accusing him of acting alone and supplying weapons. In one highlight of the episode, when Dukat learns about the betrayal, he offers to help Sisko stop the weapons flow if Sisko helps him stop the Maquis. Sisko agrees. This comes after they have a discussion about Cardassian justice and trials. A person is accused and deemed guilty before the trials. Why bother with trials? asks Sisko. "Because the people demand it." Sisko asks what if the person is innocent. "Cardassians never make mistakes" Dukat replies. "I'll have to remember that" says Sisko. Later we see this type of justice in action in the episode "Tribunal" where O'Brien is accused of terrorist attacks against the Cardassians.
In another highlight, one of the Maquis collaborators is a Vulcan woman who hires Quark to supply weapons for her in exchange for payment. The Vulcan is put in the brig after she is knocked out by Dukat during the abduction. Quark is put in there with her after Odo makes him give him the list of weapons he procured.
Quark gives the Vulcan a lecture in logic, saying that the time is now to negotiate while each side has equal firepower. To wait any longer, the conflict and violence will escalate, making the price of peace that much higher.
In the final standoff, Sisko and Hudson get into a battle of wits in space, each one disabling the runabouts of the other and Sisko allows his former friend back into the demilitarized zone. He and the rest of us are left wondering if they stopped a war or just delayed the inevitable.
"Jem'Hadar" is the last episode of the second season and was written by Ira Steven Behr.
Commander Sisko takes Jake to the Gamma Quadrant to do a planetary survey as a science project. Jake also, despite Sisko's reluctance, invites Nog along. Quark, hearing that, decides he's going too in hopes of convincing Sisko to allow him to broadcast merchandise for sale on the station's com system to increase profit.
The first half of the episode is a humorous romp in testing Sisko's patience with the two pesty Ferengi's on board. Quark develops allergies to the planet's fauna while admiring the planet's exploitable resources. Then he whines about bugs in his supper. "I thought Ferengis ate bugs" says Sisko. "Only certain bugs--Ferengi bugs" replies Quark.
Then he accidentally catches himself on fire at the campsite. Nog, embarrassed, runs off with Jake following suit. The two men are left in a heated discussion when suddenly approached by two aliens, one the prey and one the hunter.
As the two boys search for their dad and uncle, the men, and the alien prey, are left in a force field held captive. The woman, who has telekinetic powers, is wearing a collar to suppress those powers. She tells Sisko that her people were scattered through the quadrant after the dominion took over their world. She is captured to be used as an example to those who think about running away.
Here, we learn for the first time that the Dominion use an alien race called the Jem'Hadar to carry out their brutal takeovers. Sisko enlists Quark to use his lock picking skills to get the collar off their fellow prisoner. Once this is accomplished, she uses her telekinetic powers to release the forcefield.
Meanwhile, Jake and Nog follow a trail of tracks and see the Jem'Hadar guards. "The don't look friendly" says Nog. "We need to get closer" replies Jake. "I dont' think that will make them look any friendlier" says Nog. After several unsuccessful attempts to bring the runabout through the wormhole on autopilot, they head back on impulse power.
A Jem'Hadar transports onto the station and tells the crew their commander is being held and will be used as an example of what happens to anyone who interferes with the Dominion.
A starship arrives at the station to engage in the rescue of Sisko with the space station crew in tow in runabouts equipped with extra armament. O'Brien hails the runabout piloted by Jake and beams over to bring them back to the space station. The starship is destroyed via a Jem'Hadar ship committing a suicide maneuver. Sisko tells the crew in the runabout that it was a message to let them know what they are willing to do.
Quark also figures out the collar worn by their fellow prisoner contained no such technology to stop her telekinetic powers. Sisko realizes it was all a ruse to get her to the station and into Federation space to spy and confronts her. She transports away but her whereabouts can't be traced.
Thus, the Federation is now vulnerable to a new threat as dangerous as the Borg.
This episode was both exciting and funny. I liked how the two main story lines (the science field trip and capture by the Jem"Hadar) come together. And it also has the audience anticipating an exciting next season.
In the Maquis, we see an alliance forming between Sisko and Gul Dukat. We also see the Cardassian government is splitting, with members of the high command breaking the treaty with the Federation. Needless to say, shit's getting interesting.
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