Best of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine---Whispers

"Whispers" is the 14th episode of the second season and was written by Paul Robert Coyle.

We follow Miles O'Brien through his routine day at the station as security preparations are being made to hold a peace conference between two rival factions.

What makes it anything but routine for O'Brien is that all the chief officers are acting strange, even suspicious of him and to him. Even Keiko is acting abrupt, getting up earlier than usual, and whispering something seen but unheard to Commander Sisko as Miles walks by the promenade on his way to do daily maintenance checks.

While piloting a shuttlecraft, the story is told in narrative form as Miles relates how the crew was acting toward him. He's on his way to warn the delegation about the strange behaviors of the crew and that they may be in danger.

Conclusion: As Miles lands on the 2nd planet in the system, he sees Sisko and Major Kira have arrived before him. He holds them at phaser point while receiving assurances from the crew that he's not in danger and among friends. He is shot by one of the members of the indigenous peoples as Dr. Bashir and Miles (the real one) appear and we learn that the Miles we followed and listened to all along was a replicant, sent to commit an act of sabotage or even murder at the conference. That implanted directive would have been activated during the meeting.

I found this episode intriguing and even a bit creepy. Part of me was wondering if the crew had been taken over by an alien much like the ones from TNG episode called "Conspiracy."

But there is a clue early on, the same one the replicant Miles states in his logs on the shuttle, that his nuclear family weren't acting the same. His little daughter shirks away from an embrace by him and runs to her mother. Having seen this episode in 1994, I was thinking maybe the child was perceptive and knew this wasn't her father. But I couldn't remember it very well and decided not to over analyze the show but instead go on the journey with O'Brien and see where it would take me.

The story had the added bonus of not having a side story to distract from the main focus. One highlight was dinner time with Keiko and Miles. Was Keiko trying to poison him with the stew she prepared for him? Or was Keiko just acting weirded out because there was something actually wrong with her husband?

Best of Star Trek: DS9---Necessary Evil

"Necessary Evil" is the eighth episode of the second season and was written by Peter Allan Fields.

SUMMARY

A woman named Vaatrick Pallra offers Quark five bars of Latinum for retrieving something left by her late husband hidden on the station. She won't go to the station herself because she doesn't want to face Odo again. Years before, Odo had suspected her of murdering her husband but found no supporting evidence.

When Quark, with the help of Rom, retrieves the box, a man hired by Pallra to follow Quark, gets the box from him and then shoots him with a phaser, seriously injuring him. Quark and Rom did have a chance to see the contents of the box beforehand---a list of names, all Bajoran.

Now Odo must investigate the attempt on Quark's life while retelling the original investigation, through flashbacks, on how he was hired by Gul Dukat to investigate the murder of  the woman's husband.

Here, we get more background story of the space station during the occupation and Odo's and Kira's first meeting. Turns out Kira knew the victim.  His wife suspected an affair, but Kira has a different story. Odo senses she knows more than what she's telling, but is she telling the truth when Odo checks logs and confirms her alibi at the time was that she was committing an act of sabotage of an ore processor?

But as the investigation unfolds, Odo is conflicted about where the case is taking him and whether or not he wants to go there. "There's no room in justice for loyalty, or friendship, or love. Justice, as the humans like to say, is blind. I used to believe that. I'm not sure I can anymore."

And what about that list? It contained names of collaborators to the Cardassians. Pallra's late husband was part of that group. She was running out of funds and decided to use the names for blackmail to maintain her lifestyle.

Dukat hired Odo because of his neutrality, being neither Bajoran or Cardassian. Dukat wanted to protect the names of his collaborators.

What I liked about his episode is 1) it was fun watching the mystery unfold---like a detective novel in space. 2) we get more character development here, particularly in the back stories of Odo and Kira. We also learn of their great fondness for each other. Kira questions Odo, after her involvement with the murder is revealed, whether or not Odo can ever trust her again. He assures her that they are still friends. But apparently, trust is something she will have to earn again.   

Worst of DS9---Invasive Procedures

"Invasive Procedures" is the 4th episode of the second season.

SUMMATION

The station has been evacuated because of a violent space storm and left with a skeleton crew. Quark thinks he's about to do the business of trading rare merchandise and arranges, unbeknownst to the crew, to have a shuttle craft dock.

The craft however is carrying two rogue Klingons and a Trill who plans on stealing Jadzia's symbiot. Odo is forced into a container and the rest of the crew is surrounded, and outgunned, by the bandits.

The Trill named Verad is with a woman alien named Mareel who plans on forcing Dr. Bashir to transplant Jadzia's symbiote into Verad. Trouble is, Jadzia could die as a result. If they don't go along and plan another strategy, then the Klingon mercenaries will kill them all.

Quark gets into a scuffle with one of the Klingon's and pretends to be severely injured. As the Klingon looks on in the sick bay, Bashir sneaks up behind and disables him with a hypo.

Meanwhile, Sisko plays on the emotions of Mareel and manages to convince her that Verad is no longer interested in her. It's plain that he was just using her to help him get the symbiote and plans an escape without her. As a result, she helps the crew capture Verad as he leaves to the escape shuttle and the symbiote is put back into Jadzia.

The most annoying thing about this episode was John Glover's performance as the unjoined Trill. He hardly seems capable enough to lead a team of rogues and thieves, let alone be taken seriously by them. He's whiny and lacks confidence. The leader of the pack was obviously Mareel, who in the highlight of the episode, kicks the crap out of Major Kira.

Even as Verad Dax, he's pompous and one dimensional. Seems to me that a symbiote with that much past experience would have been displaying some remorse and guilt through the body of Verdad to create conflict and a multi-dimensional personae. Instead he becomes a fighter for his own sake with no regard for his previous host.

Best of Star Trek: Deep Space 9---In the Hands of the Prophets

"In the Hands of the Prophets" was the last episode of season 1. It was written by Robert Hewitt Wolfe.

SUMMATION

This episode has two story lines, one involving a Bajoran technician that is working closely with Chief O'Brien. O'Brien notices an important tool is missing, along with an ensign, whose remains are later discovered in a conduit. An investigation ensues. As the investigation unfolds, we learn the murdered man had been a witness to someone rerouting security controls.

Meanwhile O'Brien's wife Keiko is running a school for the kids on the station. Her class is interrupted by Vedek Winn, an orthodox spiritual leader on Bajor and candidate to be the next Kai. Keiko is teaching that the wormhole in Bajoran space was artificially constructed by entities who reside there. Winn is having none of it. "Excuse me, by 'entities,' do you not mean the prophets?" "In a manner of speaking...but our studies show it was formed by unique particles...that are self-sustaining in nature" replies Keko.

Now the fun begins. Winn calls what Keiko is doing is blasphemy. Keiko calls it opening the children's minds to scientific research and discovery. Because they are in Bajoran space, Winn states the school can't continue unless Keiko's curriculum involves knowledge of the prophets. Keiki refuses, insisting that her job is to teach facts and Winn's job is to teach spiritual matters. "Is there a place in your school for the prophets?" Winn asks Keiko.

"No..my responsibility is to expose my students to knowledge, not hide it from them."

Winn warns Sisko that unless Keiko recants, she can't be responsible for the consequences.

As Winn and Vedek Bareil, a reformed opponent vying for the position of Kai, try to come to a compromise on the direction of the school, an explosion occurs on the station. The school is destroyed.

O'Brien's assistant had been meeting secretly with Winn, who convinces her to carry out what the prophets want, to stop the school at any cost and that it will require sacrifice. She is caught carrying a weapon after it's discovered that she was the one who disabled security locks, including weapons detection. Her target was Vedek Bareil.  She's stopped by Sisko. She yells "The prophets spoke. I answered their call!"

Major Kira is wise to Winn and lets her know that she knows she's the one who staged the whole affair to get Bareil assassinated in order to become Kai.

One highlight is when a Bajoran vendor on the station refuses to sell to the O'Briens. Odo steps in before Miles has a chance to deck the guy. "Seek the prophets!" The vender yells to the O'Briens as they leave. Odo (under his breath) "Seek them yourself."

What makes this episode epic is that it speaks to our contemporary society, especially regarding public education and the religious leaders of our time attempting to eradicate science education and/or merge it with biblical myth and creationism. Here we have an educator, in the form of Keiko O'Brien, insisting that foregoing the teaching of the sciences is akin to hiding knowledge. The message is clear---let the teachers teach and the religious leaders offer spiritual guidance, but in separate venues.

It reminds me of a saying I've often seen on secularist websites and blogs:  Don't pray in my school and I won't think in your church. A more accurate saying would be---keep education and religion separate!

And it's refreshing to witness someone, either here or in real life, stand up for science education and stand up to the dogmatic dictates of religious authoritarians.

Best of Star Trek: DS9---Duet

"Duet"" was the next to last episode of the first season and was written by Lisa Rich and Jeanne Carrigan-Fauci. Teleplay by Peter Allen Fields.

SUMMATION

A ship arrives at the station carrying a passenger suffering from Kalla Nohra syndrome. It's extremely rare, caused by a mining accident at a Bojoran labor camp. When Major Kira seeks the patient out, she sees it's a Cardassian and wants him jailed for war crimes.

Commander Sisko is contacted by a Minister of Bajor who congratulates him for the capture. But Sisko tells him he wants to do an investigation before handing him  over.

He also reluctantly agrees to put Kira in charge of the investigation after she assures him she will conduct herself worthy of her post.

The investigation begins to determine if Marrizza is who he says he is--a lowly filing clerk. He worked for the military commander Gul Darhe’El.

Gul Dukat contacts the station to inquire why a Cardassian citizen is being held. Sisko tells him they are verifying his identity and Dukat informs Sisko that if anything happens to their citizen that he’ll have to answer for it.Images on file, that the Cardassians didn’t destroy, show the file clerk Marriza in the same image as Gul Darhe’El---one problem---the names are switched!

Marriza, AKA Darhe’El, tells Kira that he withheld his true identity at first because he wanted to give her the satisfaction of learning the truth for herself. Then he lays it on thick and heavy, how he was a magnificent leader of the labor camp, he maintained disciple, and everyone looked up to him. Putting him before a tribunal and sentencing him to death won’t undo what he already did---eliminate Bajoran scum. “The dead will still be dead…what you called genocide, I called ‘a day’s work.‘”Kira takes off with her dander up.

Later, Odo is curious how Darhe’El knew Kira had been part of Shakaar's army. Odo discovers a subspace transmission was sent to Marriza 3 weeks prior. Odo contacts Gul Dukat who informs him that Darhe’El is dead and that he in fact was at his memorial service. Dukat agrees to release some files to affirm that Darhe’El is dead. When the mining accident that spread the disease occurred, Darhe’El was back on Cardassia. Further, Marriza resigned his post, put his affairs in order, and requested passage to DS9. In addition, Dr. Bashir found traces of a treatment used to maintain skin resilience after cosmetic surgery.

Haris Yulin's performance was just amazing! As Marriza, he breaks down to Kira, admitting the truth of how the cries and screams of the victims tormented him at night. It haunts him still and he wants justice. He tells Kira they were all guilty and if he could be put on trial as Gul Darhe'El, Cardassia would finally have to face the truth of its atrocities and Bajor can begin to heal. Kira tells him that too many good people have died already and one more murder won't bring them back.

Sadly, Marriza gets his wish to die, but not in the manner he wished. A Bajoran sees him walking down the promanade and stabs him through the back through the heart.

"Why?!" Kira screams. "He was a Cardassian. Isn't that enough?" responds his killer.

"No!"

This episode shows another side to Cardassians, that they're not all made from the same cloth. Some posses a conscience. Too little too late for the victims of the labor camp however. It's like that old saying that the worse evil is when good men do nothing. It's a cautionary tale that speaks to our human past.

Worst of Star Trek: DS9---Progress

"Progress" is the 15th episode of the 1st season.

For whatever reason, I was bored with this episode. There are two story plots, the one aboard the space station is the most interesting although not suspenseful or intriguing, just fun. Jake Sisko and Nog embark on learning the trade of bartering in a capitalist venture of trading a spicy sauce made for Cardassians and ending up with magnetic bolts to trade with someone else. They end up with land that ends up being of good use to the Federation. But this is not the main story.

It's about an old man, who escaped to an orbiting moon around Bajor during the Cardassian occupation, who is reluctant to move. Major Kira has the unfortunate task of getting him and a couple of farmers, and former victims of Cardassian mutilation and torture, off the moon that is going to be used as a conduit for some experiment involving releasing more electrical energy to Bajor. The process could prove fatal to any inhabitants.

It's a shame there couldn't have been another story line involving coming up with another viable solution rather than taking this old man's land away from him. But in the end, after much getting to know you's between him (played by Brian Keith) and Kira, talks of regrets and wars, Kira sets fire to the man's cottage after he tells her he won't leave as long as it stands.

Not much in the episode by way of science--nor suspense or great conflict---just a less than stellar episode that's easily forgotten.  

Best of Star Trek: Deep Space 9---Battle Lines

"Battle Lines" is the 13th episode of the 1st season. It was written by Richard Danus and Evan Carlos Somers.

It begins with a visit from the spiritual leader of Bajor known as Kai Opaka. She asks for a trip to the wormhole with Sisko, Dr. Bashir, and Major Kira. The four embark on a routine voyage into the Gamma Quadrant, or so they think until a satellite in a remote solar system sends out shock waves and disables their shuttlecraft. They make a crash landing on a moon and pull Opaka's body from the wreckage.

The crew then discovers there are two factions at war and the moon is a penal colony. Both factions have been on the moon for a generation and their members have been implanted with a rejuvenating device that activates and rebuilds the body once it is severely injured or killed in an attack.

After an episode involving a rival faction, Opaka appears to a stunned crew. Dr. Bashir is astonished by her health but discovers another property in her body that before he goes to the craft's ship to analyze the findings on the computer, is mystified as to what it is.

Once the rejuvenating device is discovered, Sisko agrees to act as mediator and perhaps get them off the moon and live the remainder of their lives without war. Unfortunately, the rival group's leader isn't trusting of Sisko and the fighting starts again. Leaving the moon now is also out of the question because once they leave, Bashir has discovered, they will die.

Opaka, sensing this is her destiny to remain with the colonists, tells the crew she will remain. O'Brien and Dax locate the satellite signal, destroy it, and proceed to the moons orbit to beam up the remainder of the crew.

One thing that impressed me about this episode is Nana Visitor's performance. Her grief over the body of Opaka, whom she deemed as a mentor and an inspiration, is heartfelt and genuine. She also comes to terms with her violent nature and hatred she's held in for the Cardassians with the help of Opaka. She must recognize it before able to let it go.

This is reminiscent of a TNG episode called "The High Ground" which is very similar in that the Federation is dealing with two opposing factions at civil war. This episode is better in that it offers more hope for a resolution.

It also illustrates how civil wars that last for generations can become merely about something to hate while the original conflict is all but forgotten.