6-2. Rocks and Shoals.

Stranded Jem'Hadar soldiers prepare for a last stand.

THE PLOT

Under attack, Sisko and his crew take refuge in a nebula - only to see their already-crippled Jem'Hadar ship lose all ship function just before crashing into an unknown planet. Also stranded on the planet are a handful of Jem'Hadar survivors of a similar crash. Their situation is even more dire than Sisko's. Their First and Second were killed in the crash, leaving Jem'Hadar Third Remata'klan (Phil Morris) in command. They are running low on ketracel white, and their Vorta, Keevan (christopher Shea), is mortally-injured.

When Keevan learns that a Starfleet crew is on the planet, he hatches a plot to save his own life. The Jem'Hadar take Garak and Nog prisoner. Keevan then sends Remat'Klan to offer a trade: The two crew members in exchange for the help of Dr. Bashir and a negotiation with Sisko.

Bashir is able to stabilize Keevan, at which point the Vorta offers an even greater trade: In exchange for his life, he will give them the means to contact Starfleet. But first he'll have to deal with the Jem'Hadar, whom the Vorta plans to send into an inescapable ambush...


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: Is appalled by Keevan's offer, but doesn't see any immediate alternative. Keevan will send the Jem'Hadar to attack regardless of Sisko's acceptance, so the choices are literally kill or be killed. In his interactions with Remata'klan, it's clear that Sisko feels the same respect for this Jem'Hadar that he previously had felt for Omet'iklan in To the Death. He hopes to get through to Remata'klan, to convince him that Keevan is not worthy of his loyalty - but given the heavy conditioning the Jem'Hadar have received to obey the Vorta no matter what, he knows his chances aren't even good enough to describe as "slim."

Kira: "When I was in the Resistance, I despised people like me." She looks even more beaten down and exhausted than in the last episode. And it's no wonder. Pragmatism makes her priority to maintain the status quo of a bloodless Occupation. This involves agreeing to Vorta facilitators coming to Bajor, and defending that choice to the outraged Vedek Yassim (Lilyan Chauvin). Yassim accuses Kira of being an "apologist" for the Dominion, and demands to know what it will take for her to fight back. Kira herself worries that she has become a collaborator, and resolves to take action - though exactly what action that may be is yet to be revealed.

Dr. Bashir: When Dax is injured, he stabilizes her and continues to monitor the injuries to both Jadzia and to the Dax symbiote. When he is brought to Keevan, he takes in the Vorta's condition in a heartbeat and declares that any conversation between Keevan and Sisko will have to wait - Immediate surgery is required. In both cases, his actions are marked by a brisk efficiency. As was clear in the previous episode, most of Bashir's former good humor has been knocked away by the war.

Garak/Nog: When scouting with Nog, the Ferengi insists on walking either behind or beside Garak. When confronted, Nog reminds him of the incident on Empok Nor, brushing aside his protestations of outside influence: "It happened... You can either stand in front of me or walk beside me, but I won't turn my back on you again." Far from being offended, Garak smiles and congratulates the Ferengi, remarking that there may be hope for him yet.

Jem'Hadar: In his first conversation with Jem'Hadar leader Remata'klan, Sisko recalls the events of To the Death, in which he was impressed by the Jem'Hadar soldiers but not by their Vorta. That episode ended with the Vorta being killed by the Jem'Hadar First. This situation is the mirror image. Sisko is again faced with a Jem'Hadar leader he respects. He is again faced with a Vorta not worthy of anyone's respect. But Remata'klan does not waver. Even though he knows that Keevan is responsible for stranding them on this planet, and even though he recognizes the Vorta as the treacherous worm that he is, Remata'klan still declares: "He does not have to earn my loyalty, Captain. He has had it from the moment I was conceived. I am a Jem'Hadar. He is a Vorta. It is the order of things."


THOUGHTS

Rocks and Shoals is a fine example of how a story that could have worked independently is enhanced and given context by the Dominion War arc. The "A" plot, with the standoff between Sisko's group and the Jem'Hadar, is not inherently different than several episodes from earlier seasons. But the fact that Starfleet is now actively at war with the Dominion adds an extra layer. The events of A Time to Stand leave Sisko's party completely cut off, with no hope of rescue or of anyone even searching for them.

Just as would have been the case in earlier seasons, the episode cuts away from the main story to a "B" plot back at the station. But what would have provided relief from the bleakness in earlier years now just provides bleakness of a different kind, as Kira struggles with her role on a station that is occupied by an enemy force.

The two stories are tied together, in that both Sisko and Kira are struggling with situations with no easy answers. Kira despises the thought that she is becoming a collaborator, but she knows that active resistance would justify a Cardassian crackdown. Sisko hates dealing with Keevan, and respects the Jem'Hadar - but it is Keevan who offers him a way to keep his people alive. Neither Sisko nor Kira can get a pat, happy Trek ending. Both situations are dark and complex, and writer Ronald D. Moore follows each thread to its natural conclusion.

Performances are excellent, the regulars equally matched by guest stars Phil Morris and Christopher Shea, who turn the Jem'Hadar soldier and the shifty Vorta into fully lifelike characters. The always reliable Michael Vejar directs, and his visual eye gets an added dimension from the location filming. The beauty of the outdoor area, particularly along the water, makes a striking contrast with the desperation of both Sisko and the Jem'Hadar; and the ending confrontation makes tangible the tactical reality of high ground versus low. Not to mention the very well-chosen shots in the repeated montage of Kira's morning routine, particularly when it comes home to her that all those surrounding her in Ops are either Cardassian or Jem'Hadar.

All around excellent, with a memorable "A" plot and a well-handled "B" plot that sets the stage for more developments to come.


Overall Rating: 9/10.

Previous Episode: A Time to Stand
Next Episode: Sons and Daughters

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5-3. Looking for Par'Mach in All the Wrong Places.

Quark fights a Klingon duel to the death!

THE PLOT

Quark receives a visit from Grilka (Mary Kay Adams), his Klingon ex-wife. The conflict between the Federation and the Klingons has left her finances in disarray, and she hopes her Ferengi ex-husband can find a way to transform her ledger's red into black. Worf is instantly smitten with Grilka, and is appalled to see that she is genuinely happy to be reunited with Quark.

Worf isn't the only one to be displeased. As Quark grows ever closer to Grilka, her bodyguard Thopok (Phil Morris) insists that she is dishonoring her House by fraternizing with a Ferengi. He challenges Quark according to time-honored Klingon tradition: With a duel to the death!

But with a little help from Worf and Dax, Quark responds according to time-honored Ferengi tradition: By cheating!

CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: Barely present, though his tossing of a baseball to Dax is a nice nod to their long friendship.

Worf: As Dax points out, his near-fanatical adherence to Klingon traditions is a contradiction in a Klingon raised by humans who joined Starfleet (even siding against the Empire), who prefers prune juice to blood wine. He is anything but a traditional Klingon. Tumek (Joseph Ruskin), Grilka's advisor, gives him another reminder of this, responding to Worf's obvious interest in Grilka by politely but firmly reminding him of his official status as a traitor - something that has not been undone by the Klingon/Federation peace talks.

Dax: Gets progressively more irritated at Worf's fascination with Grilka. As Worf describes how majestic he finds Grilka, she finally snaps at him: "It sounds like you're describing a statue. What would you do with a woman like that? Put her up on a pedestal and clean her every week?" Her own interest in Worf, which was clear enough last season, is made even clearer as she pushes him to find someone "a little more entertaining, a little more fun, and maybe even a little more attainable." Worf, stubborn and literal-minded Klingon that he is, somehow manages to miss even this hint, and Dax finally gives up on hinting and goes for the direct approach - sealing their relationship, with her as the aggressor.

Quark: It was clear enough in The House of Quark that he was fond of Grilka. Now that he is reunited with her in a more comfortable situation, one in which he is not a hostage, he finds himself enjoying her company again. Even though he effectively cheats in the final duel, he still shows courage. After all, if he purely valued his own skin over Grilka, all he actually had to do was decline the challenge. Once again, we are reminded that Quark is not a complete coward, nor is he heartless. In the right circumstances, he can risk himself - Though like any good businessman, he has to have enough of an edge for the reward to be worth the risk.

Klingons: The hostility between the Klingons and the Federation is dying down, with peace talks progressing well. It's good that some dialogue is exchanged to let us know that the conflict hasn't been forgotten, and writer Ronald D. Moore uses the conflict of Season Four as the reason for the poor financial condition of Grilka's house. It's also amusing to see Quark deflate some of the Klingon posturing, crying out about how Klingons "have rituals for everything except waste extraction!" As in The House of Quark, putting the amoral Ferengi on a collision course with Klingons is a ready-made source of amusement.

THOUGHTS

Season Three's House of Quark was to DS9 what The Trouble with Tribbles was to TOS - a comedy episode masterpiece that was perfectly structured, filled with interesting characters, and climaxing in a way that was both enjoyably surprising and completely in-keeping with the basic natures of the characters involved. It remains one of DS9's best episodes, and it's not surprising that the series would enlist original writer Ronald D. Moore to craft a sequel.

Looking for Par'Mach in All the Wrong Places isn't anywhere near as good. It's not as fast-paced, it's not as funny, and it's certainly not as tightly-structured. A subplot with Chief O'Brien and Kira getting a little too close emotionally may be thematically linked to the rest of the show, but it's one subplot too many and brings the pace to a screeching halt every time it appears. The main plot also moves along too slowly, with dropped plot elements - notably, Quark agreeing to look at Grilka's finances again, something which is never raised after the first ten minutes.

But this is still an agreeable time-filler, and it gets a lot better as it goes. I enjoyed the echoes of Cyrano de Bergerac, with Worf essentially scripting Quark's pursuit of Grilka, only to feel misery at the success of the efforts he authored. Just as this thread starts to grow stale, the duel brings the episode back to life for a very funny final Act. Quark's way of stalling for time when things (inevitably) go wrong is particularly amusing. Finally, the tag in Medlab, with Julian quickly deciding that he doesn't actually want to know what caused anybody's injuries, is a perfect note on which to close out the show.

The end result is mixed: The story is very slow to get going, and I did not enjoy the Kira/O'Brien subplot one little bit. But I very much enjoyed the last twenty minutes, and the ending is terrific. An enjoyable installment overall, but this one definitely could have been better.

Overall Rating: 6/10.

Previous Episode: The Ship
Next Episode: Nor the Battle to the Strong


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