Station log: stardate unknown

Peter Allan Fields pens the teleplay for this episode that was conceived by Lisa Rich and Jeanne Carrigan-Fauci. Airing on 13 June, 1993, the episode is a strong Kira (Nana Visitor) story that proves that season one of Deep Space Nine was stronger than the first of The Next Generation.

A Cardassian, Aamin Maritza (Harris Yulin), arrives on the station and is rushed to sickbay, where Bashir (Alexander Siddig) confirms a diagnosis of Kalla-Nohra Syndrome.

Kira is alerted immediately, because there was only one place he could have caught in, In one of the Bajoran work camps during the Cardassian occupation. She is convinced Aamin is guilty of war crimes, even if none are on record.

Kira is determined to see that her investigation proves he is a war criminal.

Maritza claims to be nothing more than a file clerk, but as Kira, and the crew investigate, they discover evidence that suggests that he was the cruel ruler of the prison camp, Gul Darhe’el.

But is it all a dance, a cover, who is he really? And will Kira and the people of Bajor get their justified vengeance, or is he just a clerk?

The station’s former commander Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo) insists that Maritza is not Darhe’el, and is nothing more than an innocent citizen.

There is a lot going on in this episode, the need for justice, the need for the facts before a rush to judgement, lies, redemption, and the pain of those who suffered.

A superior episode, and the penultimate one of the first season.

Station log: stardate unknown

The first season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine comes to a close with this episode, written by Robert Hewitt Wolfe and aired on 20 June, 1993.

Tensions between Starfleet and the Bajorans on the station climb when Vedek Winn (Louise Fletcher), who is in the running to become the new religious leader, Kai, of Bajor takes exception to the fact that Keiko O’Brien’s (Rosalind Chao) school doesn’t teach Bajoran beliefs to the children when it comes to the wormhole. Instead she teaches science based facts, which comes into conflict with the agenda and beliefs of Winn.

Winn begins a campaign to get rid of the school, and by extension Starfleet. We are also introduced to the other person in the running for the role of Kai, Vedek Bareil (Philip Anglim). But who will be Kai, and will Keiko’s school be the battleground on which their fight is conducted.

Middle ground is sought, as well as the idea of what should be taught in schools, and does religion trump science?

And will it culminate with an assassination?

It’s a relevant argument that still endures to this day, and also shows the issues that are keeping Starfleet and the Bajorans separate. There is conflict in the Star Trek universe over different beliefs, not everything is all nice and shiny like we see in The Next Generation.

Next week the Human Adventure continues as I begin Season Two, continuing my exploration of The Complete Series on DVD, available now from Paramount Pictures.