Four down, three to go…
- Kasidy Yates (Sisko's squeeze) is smuggling "For the Cause"--that being The Maquis. We get several discussions on terrorism and some scenes in "the Badlands" (as referenced on Voyager, which was also on the air by that time). Sisko is torn between his duty and his girlfriend. In the end, Sisko follows her to the Badlands to catch her. Meanwhile, Federation security officer Eddington takes over the staton and swipes some replicators--he's a Maquis! It was all a scam to catch Sisko flat-footed, and it worked. Sisko also has the unhappy duty to send Kasidy to prison. Meanwhile, Garak starts to woo Gul Dukat's daughter--remember her? Kira's not happy about it. Finally, we get another goofy "future sport" involving handball and force fields.
- The Dominion and the Federation teaming up? Rogue Jem'Hadar attack the station, which means there's a fight "To the Death". Dominion member Weyoun (Jeffrey Combs) is introduced in this episode--we'll be seeing a lot of him. He quite the politician and wheeler-dealer. Turns out the rogue bad guys found an Ikonian gateway (a super-transported introduced in TNG), so they have to be stopped. There's a scene that looks a lot like Star Wars "Death Star exhaust port" sequence. The combined team wins the day, but the Jem'Hadar will be back…
- It's Bashir to the rescue in "The Quickening". Dax joins him on an alien world where a pandemic has been going on for 200 years, caused by the Dominion. Their civilization has regressed--a "hospital" is the place where you go to die peacefully, with a "doctor" to make death painless. They have lost hope and worship death--Bashir manages to turn the tide of hope. Unfortunately, the "EM field" from their tech just hastens the disease, and the local "doctor" steps in to "take care" of them. Regardless, Bashir decides to stay and fight the virus without tech. In the end, he's able to stop the virus in the next generation--just inoculate the pregnant women. It's cold comfort to Bashir.
- Quark's gonna die?? No suck luck in "Body Parts". He's incorrectly diagnosed, so he thinks he has an incurable disease. It's time to sell off his remains in advance of his death--it becomes complicated very quickly, and ends up like "It's a Wonderful Life". I know the Ferengis were brought on as a commentary on our current rampant commercialism, but they became comedy relief very quickly. Meanwhile, a shuttle mission goes wrong, leaving Keiko's baby in jeopardy. Bashir is forced to transfer the baby to Kira! I guess they can do that with Starfleet tech. It also allowed the show to handle Nana Visitor's actual pregnancy (with Alexander Siddig). Keiko and Miles have a big problem with this, which is surprising--we use surrogate mothers today. Why would this be an issue in the 24th century--considering the alternative was for their baby to die?
- An Odo episode finishes up the season--"Broken Link". He's got a virus causing him to lose his shape, forcing him to return to the Founders world in order to save his life. He has to be moved to the Defiant for the trip, and he insists on walking under his own power. Bashir didn't want to use a transporter, but they didn't have a cart or wheelchair handy? There's also the Klingons to worry about--they are ready to go to war. It turns out the Founders infected Odo with the virus so he would return home--and be judged for his crime (he killed another Changeling in an earlier episode). Due to his sense of justice, he agrees and returns to the "Great Link". The judgment? They make him a "solid" humanoid--albeit with the same make-up as before. Odo will have a lot of adjusting to do. Meanwhile, the Klingons decide to declare war--and Odo realizes that Klingon Chancellor Gowron (aka Barney Google) is a Changeling! Tune in next season…
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (and all the Trek series) is available on Netflix.