Station log: stardate 52684.3

Micheal Dorn directs this portion of The Final Chapter. When It Rains… was penned by Rene Echevarria from a story by Echevarria and Spike Steingasser. It debuted on 5 May, 1999 and brings us that much closer to the end of the series.

As Damar (Casey Biggs) continues his Cardassian rebellion against The Dominion, Sisko (Avery Brooks) sends Colonel Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) to help train them in resistance fighting.

On the station things get worse as Bashir (Alexander Siddig) discovers that Odo (Rene Auberjonois) has the same illness that has infected the Founders, and the Klingon leader, Gowron (Robert O’Reilly) arrives to assume command of the Klingon fleet which causes some grief with Martok (J.G. Hertzler).

Kira is joined on her mission by Odo, and Garak (Andrew Robinson) and we also see her in a Starfleet uniform for the first time! And how will Kira handle the news that Odo has the same disease that seems to be ravaging the rest of the changelings?

Bashir learns that Section 31 created the disease, infected Odo, and then he in turn infected the rest of the Link, as the Founders are known.

Kai Winn (Louise Fletcher) and Dukat (Marc Alaimo) are still looking for a way to free the Pah-wraiths. And Bashir and Ezri (Nicole de Boer) are having a hard time connecting, and whether or not she has been avoiding him and her feelings for him (something she can never seem to share because something happens each and every time she tries to tell him).

There’s a lot going on, and the serialized format is really paying off as we race towards the climax of the series.

Station log: stardate unknown

Ronald D. Moore pens this episode that first aired on 12 May, 1999.

Kira continues to train, and coach the Cardassian resistance, though it isn’t going so well considering the Bajoran/Cardiassian history, and none of them like her because of it. They also are developing a plan to steal a powerful Breen weapon, all while Odo continues to struggle with the disease he’s been infected with by Section 31.

Back on the other side of the battle line, Gowron is leading increasingly reckless attacks. Worf (Dorn) thinks it is all being done to humiliate Martok as much as it is to execute a political vendetta against the General. Worf has an idea of how to resolve it, and Sisko can’t abide the thought that Gowron is risking the entire Alpha Quadrant just to make Martok look bad.

Bashir and O’Brien (Colm Meaney) come up with a plan to draw out Section 31 on the station by announcing they have discovered a cure for the disease.

The story threads are continuing to tie up, and there is so much more to resolve in the next three episodes.

Next week the Human Adventure continues with the penultimate installment as we come to the last two episodes before the series finale. The Complete Series on DVD has been fantastic and highly enjoyable, and is available now from Paramount Canada.

Boldly go…