Station log: stardate 46531.2

Trouble arrives on the station in the form of Q (John de Lancie – last seen in Next Gen’s Tapestry) and archaeologist, and Picard (Patrick Stewart) flame, Vash (Jennifer Hetrick – last seen in Next Gen’s Qpid) in this episode written by Robert Hewitt Wolfe from a story by Hannah Louise Shearer.

Airing on 7 February, 1993, the episode brought the omnipotent being to the station, and harasses the crew, and Sisko (Avery Brooks) may have his hands full, especially when an unknown force seems to threaten the station’s existence.

It seems Vash was dropped off in the Gamma Quadrant by Q a couple of years ago, and now she refuses to travel with him. The station, meanwhile, is suffering from unusual power drains. Drains that are similar to those that affected the runabout, Ganges, that brought Vash to the station.

The mystery of the power drain is pretty easy to figure out, but its the character moments that help define this episode. Q shows that he doesn’t have to be pestering Picard to be a fun character, and all the characters on the station get their moments to shine in this story.

Vash pairs up with Quark (Armin Shimerman) to sell the items she’s brought back from the Gamma Quadrant, Bashir (Alexander Siddig), O’Brien (Colm Meaney), Odo (Rene Auberjonois) and Kira (Nana Visitor) all get their character beats, and every one of them adds to the tapestry and layers of the series that is already proving itself.

It’s a fun episode, and Q always makes for some good times.

Station log: stardate 46910.1

D.C. Fontana and Peter Allan Fields pen this episode that first aired on 14 February, 1993. Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell) is the centre of the story that sees her Trill symbiote accused of murder while in its previous host, Sisko’s good friend Curzon.

She is seized by Illon Tandro (Gregory Itzin) and attempt to take her to Klaeston IV to stand trial for the crime Curzon allegedly committed.

On the station Sisko and Kira are trying to deal with issues from the graviton generator, but kick into high gear to find their science officer. They ensnare Tandro’s ship with a  tractor beam, and Sisko is immersed in a mystery he doesn’t expect.

He and Curzon have a history, and a long standing friendship but this episode brings Jadzia and Sisko into conflict.

Things begin to come to light as Sisko holds an extradition hearing on the station, overseen by Renora (Anne Haney).

The episode explores the Trill culture and their nature as well as giving Dax a number of nice new layers.

This is a solid episode, and this and more are coming as I continue my way through The Complete Series on DVD from Paramount Pictures.

Next week the Human Adventure continues…