1:[3,#B],4:[3,#I]@1“Heart of Stone”@2Deep Space Nine episode #60
Written by Ira Steven Behr & Robert Hewitt Wolfe
Directed by Alexander Singer
Stardate 48521.5
First aired in 1995
GUEST STARS
Rom MAX GRODENCHIK
Nog ARON EISENBERG
A desperate situation that could cost Kira her life forces Odo to face the depth of his feelings for her.
While traveling in a Runabout, Kira and Odo learn that a Maquis ship has ambushed a Lissepian vessel. They pursue the attacking ship to a deserted moon, where it crashes. Kira and Odo land on the moon, which is virtually uninhabitable and rocked by seismic activity. They split up within a group of caverns where the fugitive may be hiding, but Kira soon summons Odo with a distress call. He hurries to her side to find a crystal formation growing around Kira’s foot, trapping her.
The crystal, which Odo cannot break, rapidly grows to just above Kira’s knee. Atmospheric interference makes it impossible for him to either free her with the Runabout’s transporter or send a distress signal back to the station. Odo then returns to the caverns to hear the sound of phaser blasts. Kira says that she just exchanged shots with the Maquis fugitive, but both missed. This, however, is the least of her problems – both her legs are now entirely covered in crystal.
Tremors shake the cavern while the crystal continues to grow around Kira. Odo brings in equipment to build a makeshift ultrasonic generator in an attempt to shatter the crystal. It has now grown to cover Kira’s rib cage, making it difficult for her to breathe. Odo realizes that finding the right frequency might take longer than the few hours left before Kira is covered completely, but he is determined not to leave her stranded, and they betray just a bit of emotion toward each other. Then, suddenly, the cavern is shaken by a powerful tremor.
Odo morphs into a dome to shield Kira and the generator from the falling debris. But after trying every possible frequency, the crystal remains intact and grows to reach the middle of Kira’s chest. Realizing there is nothing more Odo can do, Kira orders him to leave and save himself.
Odo refuses to go, despite Kira’s reminder that if he stays, he will die along with her. But Odo says he cannot leave – because he is in love with Kira. After a moment, Kira shocks Odo by replying that she is in love with him, too. The increasingly suspicious Odo remains virtually silent for an hour, while the crystal grows up to Kira’s neck. But when Kira then admits she isn’t really in love with him, Odo realizes that she would never risk their friendship by lying. He points a phaser at her and demands to know what happened to the real Kira. The woman and crystal then morphs into the female shape shifter Odo met when he discovered his homeworld. Knowing Odo’s feelings for Kira, she planned the entire scenario to trick Odo into believing Kira died, hoping this would prompt him to return home. Angry, Odo makes her reveal Kira’s location, and he then rescues his friend. They then return to the station, with Odo’s deepest feelings still a secret from Kira.
~1:[2,#B],3:[3,#I]@1“Hippocratic Oath”@2Deep Space Nine episode #76
Held prisoner by a group of rebel Jem’Hadar, Bashir and O’Brien clash over Bashir’s desire to help their captors escape Dominion rule.
Returning from a mission in the Gamma Quadrant, Bashir and O’Brien respond to what they believe is a ship in trouble on a remote planet. Instead, a plasma field causes them to crash-land on the surface, where they become prisoners of Jem’Hadar soldiers. They intend to kill the pair, but when they learn Bashir is a doctor, the leader, Goran’Agar, orders the men taken to a holding area.
Goran’Agar soon takes Bashir to a makeshift lab where he must carry out scientific research – or die. Goran’Agar explains that he has been mysteriously cured of his addiction to Ketracel-white, the drug the Dominion genetically engineered the Jem’Hadar to require for survival. Goran’Agar wants Bashir to find the cure so that his soldiers can escape the Dominion’s tyranny – a task he must complete before their drug supply runs out in five days. Bashir requests O’Brien’s assistance, and they work on a device to help them escape, pretending it is actually part of Bashir’s research. But a soldier named Arak’Taral becomes suspicious and activates the device, injuring Meso’Clan, another Jem’Hadar. Arak’Taral grabs O’Brien and threatens to kill him, but Goran’Agar orders him spared.
Having decided to stop living by the Dominion’s brutal rules, Goran’Agar also spares Meso’Clan, who would have been otherwise killed by the uninjured soldiers. Bashir is excited by this show of compassion, and later tells O’Brien that he believes they should help Goran’Agar. If they can free the Jem’Hadar from their Dominion leash, he reasons, this could reduce the Dominion threat to the Alpha Quadrant. O’Brien doesn’t share Bashir’s sentiments – the Jem’Hadar are bred to kill. He flatly refuses to help, so the doctor pulls rank and orders him. Instead, O’Brien engineers his own escape into the planet’s dense jungle.
Goran’Agar orders Arak’Taral to bring back O’Brien alive. But when the order is refused, the Jem’Hadar commander realizes his men will no longer obey him. Bashir suggests that Goran’Agar find O’Brien first, promising in return to stay and continue working. While O’Brien is being hunted, Bashir makes progress and soon is onto a discovery that could lead to a cure. At that moment, O’Brien walks in, ready to help Bashir escape, but is shocked when the doctor refuses to go.
Certain the Jem’Hadar will kill Bashir even if he finds the cure, O’Brien destroys the experiment. Goran’Agar sees the damage and sadly allows them to leave, saying he will kill his soldiers in combat rather than subject them to the pain of dying without the drug. Bashir and O’Brien return to the station, each disagreeing with the actions of the other, but at least coming to an understanding.
~1:[2,#B],3:[3,#I]@1“The Homecoming”@2Deep Space Nine episode #21
Teleplay by Ira Steven Behr
Story by Jeri Taylor and Ira Steven Behr
Directed by Winrich Kolbe
No stardate given
First aired in 1993
GUEST STARS
Li Nalas RICHARD BEYMER
Rom MAX GRODENCHIK
Borum MICHAEL BELL
Gul Dukat MARC ALAIMO
Kira risks her life, and war with the Cardassians, to rescue a mythical Bajoran hero from a distant prison colony.
Kira is intrigued when Quark presents her with an earring he claims was delivered from Cardassia Four. She immediately recognizes the earring as that of Li Nalas, who according to legend is the greatest Bajoran resistance fighter ever. Li has been missing and presumed dead, but the earring indicates that he is alive, and Kira believes it was smuggled out as a cry for help. She asks Sisko for a Runabout to rescue Li, telling him that Li is exactly the sort of leader the increasingly factionalized Bajoran people need. Sisko is skeptical about the dangerous mission, but promises to think about it, when Odo and O’Brien approach Sisko with another problem. Graffiti bearing the insignia of “The Circle,” an extremist group that wants to rid Bajor of all non-Bajorans, has appeared around the station. Sisko is troubled by this reminder that tensions on Bajor are definitely growing.
With this in mind, and with encouragement from Dax, Sisko agrees to let Kira have the Runabout on one condition – O’Brien must accompany her on her mission into Cardassian territory. At first, Kira objects, worried that the presence of a Federation officer will only complicate things. However, Sisko is unwilling to bend, so Kira reluctantly agrees and the two head off.
After near-detection by the Cardassian forces, Kira and O’Brien land in a prison camp where Bajorans break rocks in the sun. Kira flirts with an overseer in order to get inside the prison force field, then she and O’Brien make a surprise assault and get to the prisoners. Li is confused, unsure why these strangers have come for him. His friend Borum reveals that he smuggled the earring out in order to get Li rescued. The group prepares to leave as Cardassian guards come at them with phasers blazing. Li is hit, and the group makes the grim realization that they cannot escape with all of the other prisoners. Borum orders Kira to take Li back to Bajor and insists that he and three other prisoners will hold off the Cardassian troops. Reluctantly, Kira allows Borum and the others to sacrifice themselves in order to save Li.
Back on the station, Li is given medical attention while Kira inadvertently steps in on a message from Cardassian leader Gul Dukat. She is shocked to hear Dukat apologize for the existence of the prison camp, and is skeptical when he announces that all of the remaining prisoners will be released. Sisko also has trouble believing Dukat’s words, but encourages Kira to be pleased with what has been achieved. The sudden arrival of Li has caused a tremendous commotion on the station, as Bajorans openly stare at him in awe. Li, however, seems strangely uncomfortable with the attention. He politely stands by while Minister Jaro from Bajor makes a speech publicly welcoming him home, and only relaxes when Sisko finally escorts him to his quarters. There, Sisko hints at the trouble on Bajor and asks Li for help in bringing stability to the planet. Meanwhile, at the counter of his closed bar, Quark is attacked by three masked, hulking figures who force him to the floor and burn his flesh with a sort of branding iron.
While Dr. Bashir aids Quark, Li is told that Quark’s assailants are members of The Circle. Li is shocked that Bajorans have done such a thing, and Sisko explains that many Bajorans are turning to The Circle because they have grown impatient with their government. Kira adds that the Bajorans need a leader who will speak out against extremist groups, at which point all eyes turn to Li. He, however, wants no part of it. A short while afterward, the Bajoran hero is caught trying to secretly leave the station for the faraway Gamma Quadrant.
Forced to explain himself, Li painfully reveals that the bravery he is so famous for is based entirely on rumors. He killed an unarmed, unclothed Cardassian, and when the Bajorans learned that this dead Cardassian was a great fighter, Li’s encounter – and everything he did that followed – grew to reach mythic proportions. Because the stories that made him a legend are false, Li feels unworthy of leading the Bajorans. But Sisko disagrees. He explains that the Bajoran people need a legend, and that they look to Li as a symbol of what is best in themselves. Realizing that Sisko is right, Li agrees to assume whatever role is needed, which soon results in a surprising development. Minister Jaro announces that Li has been named Bajoran Liaison Officer to Deep Space Nine – the position currently held by Kira. Over Sisko’s objections, Jaro states that Kira has been dropped from the station and has been called back to Bajor.
~1:[4,#B],5:[3,#I]@1“The House of Quark”@2Deep Space Nine episode #49
Story by Tom Benko
Teleplay by Ronald. D. Moore
Directed by Les Landau
No stardate given
First aired in 1994
GUEST STARS
Keiko ROSALIND CHAO
Grilka MARY KAY ADAMS
D’Ghor CARLOS CARRASCO
Rom MAX GRODENCHIK
Gowron ROBERT O’REILLY
Tumek JOSEPH RUSKIN
In order to boost his business and gain respect, Quark lies about killing a Klingon, then winds up forced to marry the dead man’s widow.
With bar business especially slow, Rom complains to Quark that their only customer, a Klingon named Kozak, says he’s out of money. Quark approaches Kozak, who responds by pulling a knife. But he is so inebriated that he trips and falls on the blade, killing himself. Quark is horrified, but when the bar is flooded with patrons flocking to see what happened, he recognizes a good business opportunity and takes credit for killing Kozak in self-defense. Thrilled with his newfound popularity, he ignores Odo’s warning that Kozak’s family might retaliate. Sure enough, D’Ghor, Kozak’s brother, soon arrives and collars Quark.
A fearful Quark prepares to tell D’Ghor the truth, but learns that his life would be spared only if Kozak died honorably in battle. Thus sanctioned, Quark continues to revel in his role as a “slayer of Klingons” until Grilka, Kozak’s widow, arrives and realizes the Ferengi is lying. She takes Quark to the Klingon home world against his will, where she explains that a provision in Klingon law grants consideration to a female left without a male heir after the accidental death of a spouse. This might allow her to lead her own House. But since Kozak instead died “in battle”, the lack of a male heir would cause the House of Kozak to fall, and D’Ghor, who has been enemies with his brother’s family for years, could take over. Unwilling to let that happen, Grilka conducts a ceremony where Quark winds up married to the widow.
Grilka brings Quark before the Klingon High Council and presents Quark as her husband, reminding the Council that, as Kozak’s killer, Quark may be invited to take his place, and his wife. Much to the chagrin of D’Ghor, Council leader Gowron promises to consider her words, allowing the House of Kozak to be known as the House of Quark until he reaches a decision.
Grilka is not certain what to do next, until Quark volunteers to go over the financial records of the House. He discovers that D’Ghor has been systematically attacking Kozak’s family’s assets for years, weakening the House in order to prime it for a takeover. Together, Quark and Grilka present their findings to the High Council. But instead of conceding defeat, D’Ghor demands vengeance through personal combat, revealing that Quark lied about Kozak’s death by bringing in Rom as a surprise witness.
With his life now on the line, Quark decides to run rather than face D’Ghor in battle. This means Grilka must return to Gowron without a husband, and with little chance of stopping D’Ghor from taking everything she has. Surprisingly, however, Quark arrives at the Council meeting armed to fight. As D’Ghor prepares to attack him, Quark suddenly tosses away his bat’leth sword, then reminds the Council that killing a defenseless Ferengi would be an execution instead of a honorable victory. An unmoved D’Ghor prepares to deliver the death blow anyway, but Gowron stops him, ashamed by his total lack of honor. Gowron then grants Grilka special dispensation to lead her House on her own. Quark is given a divorce, and he returns to Deep Space Nine a true hero in his brother Rom’s eyes.
