To Boldly Sew is a recap of DS9 episodes, with a specific focus on the fashions of the many aliens and other characters that make up the series. Feel free to discuss matters of plot and general Star Trek things in the comments.
All screenshots come from trekcore.com, which is the same place as the original TNG fashion blog (http://sttngfashion.tumblr.com/).
The episode begins with a quick recap of the previous episode.
The crew meets in Ops where Kira, frustrated, says that they’ve run seven simulations and they all result in the Jem’Hadar overwhelming their defenses ad boarding the station within 2 hours, which doesn’t even give them time to get reinforcements from Bajor. O’Brien says that is optimistic. Bashir says the casualties would be appalling.
Kira wonders if they ought to let them board the station but not surrender. Set up booby traps and try to hold out until reinforcements arrive. Odo thinks there wouldn’t be much of a station left by the time reinforcements got there.
Dax concludes that they have two options – abandon the station and make a stand on Bajor, or collapse the entrance to the wormhole. Kira wants a third alternative. Before they can discuss that, though, a computer starts beeping. Dax says that a large subspace surge activated the security sensors 300 meters away. She thinks it might be a cloaked ship, but she’s never seen an energy dispersal pattern like that.
Because it’s so close by, Kira calls for Red Alert and begins arming the station and preparing everyone for an attack. The ship de-cloaks and a Federation starship appears. It’s like nothing they’ve seen before, and Federation starships don’t usually have cloaking devices, so no one quite knows what to make of it.
The ship hails them, and it’s Sisko. He apologizes for scaring them and says he wanted to test the Defiant’s cloaking device. He says he’s brought back a surprise for the Dominion.
CUE THEME
Sisko gets together with the others in a conference room type place and explains that the Defiant is officially classified as a escort vessel, but unofficially, it’s a warship. Kira thought Starfleet didn’t believe in warships. Sisko explains that desperate times call for desperate measures.
I don’t think we’ve ever see this conference room before. Usually they have meetings in the middle of Ops but I guess they finally decided to have a space where every conversation wouldn’t be overheard. Nice that some glasses and pitchers of, I assume, water are provided, though no one is drinking.
Sisko says that Starfleet began designing this ship with the idea that there would be no science labs or families or luxuries of any kind – it was designed just to defeat the Borg, and it was a prototype. However, as the Borg threat became less urgent, some design flaws popped up on the Defiant, and the project was abandoned.
O’Brien asks about the design flaws and Sisko says he can have all the reports with the details, but TL;DR it’s over-gunned and overpowered for a ship of its size, and nearly tore itself apart when the engines were tested at full capacity.
Kira is skeptical of the usefulness of this ship in fighting the Dominion. Sisko says they’re not going to fight the Dominion. Their mission is to take the Defiant to the Gamma Quadrant and try to find the leaders of the Dominion, the Founders, and convince them that the Federation does not represent a threat.
What if they don’t believe us? Bashir asks. Sisko says that’s why they have the Defiant – she has teeth and they will be able to show that they can defend themselves if necessary.
The door opens and two people come in – a Starfleet security officer and a Romulan. The security guy explains that he’s posted security officers near the Defiant’s docking port to protect the cloaking device. Odo says he wasn’t informed about special security measures. The Romulan says they were put there by her request.
The Romulan is dressed in fairly typical Romulan clothes – thick shoulder pads, wide sleeves, metal belt/chest strap. Her jacket is covered in an interesting checkerboard pattern, and I assume it’s padded and fairly warm.
Sisko introduces the Romulan as Subcommander T’Rul from the Romulan Empire and will operate the cloaking device that her government has kindly loaned them for the mission.
T’Rul explains that Romulan interests will be served by the cooperation, and her role is to keep unauthorized personnel away from the cloaking device. Sisko starts to introduce his people, but T’Rul says that she knows their names and isn’t there to make friends. Then she leaves.
The Starfleet guy says he is there to make friends, and introduces himself as Lieutenant Commander Michael Eddington from Starfleet Security. Kira warmly introduces herself; Odo is less warm and asks what Eddington’s function is.
Sisko says there will be a complete mission briefing at 1800 hours, and to be prepared to depart at 0700 the next day. Then he dismisses them all. Everyone leaves but Odo and Sisko.
Odo says that Sisko doesn’t need to be nice about giving unpleasant news – he’s been relieved as Chief of Security. Then he leaves abruptly. Sisko sighs and follows him into the hall. He says he’s not been relieved and he’s still in charge of non-Starfleet matters on the station, but on Starfleet matters he will coordinate with Eddington. Odo says this is another way of saying he’ll report to Eddington.
Sisko apologizes, saying that it wasn’t his idea, and Odo says he’s just following orders. Sisko says he strongly disagreed with it and fought strongly against it. Odo asks why. Sisko says there were concerns about recent security breaches. Odo complains about how Starfleet regulations were holding him back from exercising authority. Sisko says his resistance to those regulations was part of the problem. Odo thinks they basically just wanted someone they could trust, not “the shape-shifter.”
Sisko says that’s not the issue and he understands how he feels, but Odo cuts him off and says he doesn’t need his understanding and his resignation will be logged within the hour.
Jake eats stuff. Sisko comes in and says he thought he was unpacking. Jake says he was but then he looked at the replicator and wanted some I’danian spice pudding. Despite not getting a decent bowl on Earth, he ordered it at every replicator he saw.
Okay, so good news, this is not a jumpsuit, but bad news…it’s a pretty ugly shirt. Most of it is kind of a floral pattern on light blue, but then there’s some cuffs and random stripes across the arms and around the collar that are red with a light blue grid pattern. I have to imagine the costume creator put this together in their sleep. This is the new winner of the Jake Sisko Worst Outfit Award. Yikes.
Sisko asks if it’s good to be home. Jake says yes, he can’t wait to sleep in his own bed. Sisko wonders when he started thinking of the “Cardassian monstrosity” as home. Jake says last Thursday around 1700 hours when he took all the stuff out of storage on Earth.
He goes to reach for a thing in a storage and Sisko cautions him as it’s a 2,000 year old Yoruba mask, part of one of the finest collections of ancient African art. Jake says he knows this and he knows what it means to his dad, but to him it will always be the stuff in his library – at home – so when he took it out of storage, it meant Earth wasn’t home – DS9 was.
On the Promenade, Odo looks out a viewport and Kira comes over to find him. She says that the Bajoran Provisional Government wants Odo to come along to the Gamma Quadrant and act as an official Bajoran representative. Odo says he’s not a diplomat.
She says she knows and that’s why they want him to go. They want more than diplomacy – they want someone to size up the Founders and see what kind of threat they pose. Odo says that Kira is a military expert and he doubts the government contacted her and asked for him. He says it’s a misguided attempt to make him feel better.
Kira says that maybe she is his friend and she wants him to know he’s needed there no matter what some idiot Starfleet admiral might think. Odo says nothing, turns back to the stars.
Quark is confused that Sisko wants him to go to the Gamma Quadrant and help him locate the Founders. He’s obviously terrified of the prospect and wonders if Sisko is joking with him, but Sisko is serious. Quark points out that he’s not a diplomat, explorer, tactical officer, or whatever else he needs. He’s happy to loan a replicator if a caterer is needed.
Quark is wearing my favorite outfit of his – stained glass inspired pattern on the jacket with a shirt in similar colors, and teal pants.
Sisko says that eight months ago he helped the Nagus establish a trade agreement with the Karemma – tulaberry wine. The Karemma are a part of the Dominion and might help them make contact with the Founders. Since Quark is experienced with the Karemma, he’s the logical person to help. Quark tries to say that Rom did the talking and tries to pass it off to his brother. Sisko says Quark.
Quark refuses directly, as his last experience with the Jem’Hadar was not pleasant and he doesn’t want to repeat it. He says that Sisko can’t force him to do it. He turns to leave, but pauses when he hears a thud.
Sisko is holding the scepter of the Grand Nagus. He says that he talked to the Nagus and he agreed that unless peaceful contact can be made with the Founders, business opportunities in the Gamma Quadrant might dry up. He also agreed that Quark was the perfect man to help him. Quark doesn’t believe this. Sisko says that’s why the Nagus sent along his scepter – to convince Quark of the high value he holds on the success of the mission.
The Nagus’ scepter, like everything else about the Nagus (and all Ferengis, basically) is kind of creepy looking.
Quark has no choice but to agree. Sisko makes him kiss the scepter before he leaves.
Sisko is studying a map in the conference room when Dax comes in to say that the Defiant will be ready at 0700 hours. He asks if it passed O’Brien’s inspection. She says his maintenance list is long, but it’ll take them to where they’re going. Coming back is up to Sisko. He says he wouldn’t have volunteered for the mission if he didn’t think they had a chance of coming back.
Dax has changed up her hairstyle for this season, or at least this episode. Previously, she just wore it back in a long, plain ponytail. Now it seems like she’s sort of piled it up behind her head. It’s kind of a subtle change, but it looks taller in the front and shows off her forehead and, I think, makes her facial markings a little more noticeable than before.
Dax says that Curzon told him not to volunteer for anything. Sisko says that Curzon often broke that rule. She says he regretted it when he did. Sisko says he’d regret it more if they just waited around for an invasion.
She asks what the odds are of them succeeding, as she knows Starfleet must have run many probability scenarios. Slim. But better than fighting an assault on the station – and if the station falls, Bajor falls. Dax says that she didn’t think she’d see him this passionate about anything after Jennifer died.
Sisko says he would have agreed with her two months prior, but talks about how he went to Starfleet Headquarters and used to be filled with exciting hope for the future and that he’d one day be making decisions. Dax says that Curzon didn’t think Sisko would be happy as an Admiral – he wanted to implement the decisions, not just make them. He agrees this is true.
On the Defiant, Bashir is complaining about how there aren’t very many medical files on the ship, and it’s not designed to handle many casualties. Sisko says to do what he can.
The bridge of the Defiant is kind of circular, and quite spacious compared to a runabout. The officers sit in chairs along the outer edge of the circle while the commander’s chair is in the center.
Dax tells Sisko that Quark is unhappy with his accommodations and he has offered to get him in touch with some interior decorators for a modest fee. Sisko says he’ll take that under advisement.
He tells everyone to get ready to go. O’Brien reports that tactical and communications are ready. Dax gives the okay on navigation and operations. Kira reports weapons ready. T’Rul says that engines are online and warp power is available.
Sisko begins to give the order to leave, but O’Brien reports someone is in the airlock. It’s Odo. Sisko calls him to ask if there’s a problem. Odo says he’d like permission to come aboard at the request of the Bajoran government. Sisko agrees.
Bashir offers to show Odo to quarters since he has to go to Sick Bay.
Sisko gives the order, and the Defiant undocks from DS9 and heads out into space toward the wormhole. He tells T’Rul he wants to cloak as soon as they reach the Gamma Quadrant.
They fly into the wormhole. On the other side, they cloak and fade into shadow. Inside the ship, the lights dim. T’Rul reports that the cloaking device is working normally. Sisko orders a course for the Karemma system at Warp 7.
Bashir shows Odo to a room that is occupied by Quark, who bangs his head on a bunk sitting up. Odo is unhappy about sharing a room, but Bashir explains that most of the quarters don’t have life support yet, and he thinks they’ll feel better if someone watches over Quark. Quark is insulted. No one seems to care.
It looks like Quark is wearing a new outfit. The jacket is made with multicolored stripes, and within each stripe, there are swirls that kind of mimic an animal print. There are some interesting fasteners on the jacket as well. Unfortunately the lighting is dim, so a more in-depth analysis will have to wait for a later time.
Odo goes into the room and Quark immediately begins complaining about the accommodations – bunk beds, no view, and a malfunctioning replicator. He asks Odo what his job is and then concludes immediately that he must be there for security reasons and now he feels safer. Odo interrupts to say that he’s been holding his shape for 16 hours and now needs to revert but doesn’t want Quark to gawk at him. Quark says he understands.
He turns away but then starts talking again, which causes Odo to growl that he has no interest in speaking or listening to Quark so stay out of his way or he’ll regret the day he met Odo. Quark wisely doesn’t respond. Odo melts into his bucket.
Quark’s jacket appears to be longer on the sides than in the back. Interesting.
Back on the bridge, O’Brien reports that long-range sensors have picked up two Jem’Hadar warships directly ahead and they’re flying toward them at Warp 5. They’re going to pass relatively close by, within range of their weapons.
Jem’Hadar ships have purple lighting. Is this just because they like purple, or is there a technical reason for this? I don’t know, but it looks kind of cool.
Sisko says to maintain course, as they need to know if they can see through the cloaking device. He does bring them to Red Alert, though.
The ships fly past on their original heading without slowing. There’s no indication that the Defiant has been seen. Then, however, they change course and head back, arming their weapons. Sisko prepares to de-cloak, but T’Rul says they might not have been detected. She explains that a cloaked ship radiates a slight subspace variance at warp speeds. She suggests dropping out of warp to eliminate the variance. When they reach the position, they’ll see nothing.
Sisko orders them to stop. The Jem’Hadar ships fly back and sweep the area thoroughly. They’re not sure if the scan will be able to penetrate the cloak. O’Brien says that the power signature of the Defiant is high for a ship of that size, so maybe the cloak doesn’t hide everything. Sisko says to cut main power.
The Jem’Hadar ships keep moving and scanning. One heads right toward them. Sisko says to stand by with weapons and shields. A tense few minutes pass, and then the ships warp away on their original course.
Sisko updates the ship’s log and says that they’ve reached the Karemma homeworld and opened talks with one of Quark’s business partners there.
The Karemma were mentioned way back in Season 2, Episode 7, but we didn’t get to see them then. In that episode, Pel and Quark met with the Dosi, who told them that they needed to speak with the Karemma to make the tulaberry wine deal. I suppose further negotiations have happened since.
Quark explains to one of the Karemma his negotiation points of increasing their purchase of tulaberry wine. The Karemma, meanwhile, is wandering around the Defiant’s bridge and studying things at random.
A slightly better view of Quark’s jacket here – the colors are purple, off-white, and green, with a little bit of orange thrown in. I can’t say it’s my favorite.
The Karemma man is wearing nothing interesting – his shirt looks like it might be an ordinary blend of cotton, reminding me of Jersey knit sheets. There is a kind of interesting seam across the chest, but it’s not enough to really amaze me.
He looks at a console and says it appears to be a polyduranium alloy blend, but the metal has no value. He also finds the increase Quark has proposed to be negligible. Quark says he has considerable leeway to bargain. The Karemma says he can’t help them locate the Founders because he doesn’t know who they are or if they even exist.
Quark addresses him as Ornithar and discourages him from buying Kira’s earring. Karemma repeats that he knows nothing about the Founders and says they clearly don’t want to be contacted and that’s good enough for him.
Sisko asks who his contact is in the Dominion regarding administration, trade, or defense. He says his only contact has been through the Vorta and he doesn’t know who they report to.
All he knows is if the Vorta say to do something you do it, or else they send in the Jem’Hadar and then you die. Sisko asks if he can put them in contact with the Vorta, but he says they only do as they’re told and they’ve not been told to help him. Sisko points out he hasn’t been told not to. He agrees and says he prefers to err on the side of caution.
Quark says the caution will cost him a substantial profit and the Ferengi will cease purchasing tulaberry wine. Sisko points out that the Vorta might be displeased if the Karemma lose such a valuable contact with the Alpha Quadrant, and might send the Jem’Hadar to find out what happened.
Ornithar says he needs to access a computer on the surface. He goes to a console and types and a star chart appears on the wall. He points out the Callinon system and says the Dominion maintains an unmanned subspace relay on the seventh planet. They have been told by the Vorta to direct all communications there. He doesn’t know where the messages go after that.
Odo is very interested in this map and moves closer to ask about something on it. Ornithar says it’s the Omarion Nebula. Odo is quite fascinated by this, but does not elaborate, and Ornithar says he wants to leave.
Sisko agrees. Quark pulls him aside and says he’d like to stay behind as he has fulfilled his role in the mission. Sisko asks how he can be sure the Karemma won’t turn him over to the Dominion. Quark says that he is the one lining Ornithar’s pockets, so he thinks he’s safe. He says he’ll book passage on the next ship going through the wormhole and make some profit in the process. Sisko agrees, and he leaves with Ornithar.
Sisko tells them to lay in a course for the Callinon system.
Odo is still staring at the star chart.
Kira comes to Sisko’s quarters, where he is relaxing on a lower bunk.
I’m surprised the tiny room has space for a chair and a desk.
She confesses she’s worried about Odo, and Sisko agrees he is also but he doesn’t know what to do about it. Kira asks if she can speak freely, and when Sisko agrees, she asks what is wrong with Starfleet. Sisko admits it’s been a long time coming. He says Starfleet has never been happy with Odo and have been pressing Sisko to replace him for the last two years.
Kira thinks it’s because he worked for the Cardassians, but Sisko says it’s deeper than that – Odo isn’t a team player; he likes to thumb his nose at authority and has no respect for the chain of command. She says he gets the job done.
Sisko says Starfleet likes team players and the chain of command, and so does he. She asks if he agrees with the decision. He says no, but he understands it. She asks if he is going to let Odo go when the mission is over. He says that he wants Odo to stay, but he has to want to stay.
Further conversation is interrupted by a message from T’Rul, who says they’ve reached the Callinon system.
Sisko updates the log and reports that the Defiant is cloaked and in orbit around Callinon VII. He plans to send Dax and O’Brien to study the relay station on the surface.
They all study the planet. Kira says that it looks like Ornithar was telling the truth when he said the relay station was unmanned, and there are very few security measures in place. Sisko says to get in and get out.
He then tells T’Rul that they need to de-cloak for six seconds so the transporter can beam them down. She agrees. Dax reports they’re ready to beam down. They de-cloak, energize, then re-cloak. Were they scanned during transport? Kira doesn’t think so.
Dax calls up and reports they’re in what seems to be a central computer room. The interface is a little unusual but they think they can access it.
The central computer room is very brightly lit.
O’Brien reports he is in the main directory. That was very fast, maybe too fast. Did they trip a security protocol? Doesn’t look like it as they have access to everything. They both agree to get what they need and get the hell out.
Back on the Defiant, Sisko orders a drink and finds it tastes terrible. He regrets not taking Quark up on his offer for a new replicator. He starts to tell Kira to run some diagnostics, but then they get a call from Dax.
She says they’ve found a log of outgoing transmissions. O’Brien notes that 80% of all outgoing traffic goes to one location – either another relay station or a command center. They send up the coordinates.
Suddenly, the lights go out and alarms begin blaring.
Now, the room is not so bright.
On the Defiant, Kira reports that they’ve lost contact with Dax and O’Brien. They try but can’t beam them up through a shield that’s appeared.
An alarm starts to beep, and Bashir reports that three Jem’Hadar ships are coming that way.
Sisko asks if they can shoot phasers through the shield before the ships arrive. She doesn’t know as the shield is not a type she’s seen before. T’Rul says that in order to use phasers they’ll have to de-cloak and will then be seen by the Jem’Hadar.
Bashir says that they can’t just leave them there. T’Rul says they should – they came to find the Founders not to fight the Jem’Hadar over two expendable crew members. Bashir says no one is expendable. Kira notes that the ships will be there in 30 seconds.
Sisko goes to sit in the commander’s chair and tells them to head off to the coordinates they were sent. Bashir protests, but Sisko dismisses his concerns. They head off at Warp 7.
Bashir asks what will happen to Dax and O’Brien. Sisko says they’ll probably be held for interrogation. He thinks Dax will use the opportunity to try to contact the Founders, and he is going to do the same. He calls Odo to the bridge.
Odo says he is indisposed. Both Bashir and Sisko agree that doesn’t sound like him. Sisko wants to go talk to him. Kira volunteers for the task and leaves the bridge.
T’Rul says that some Jem’Hadar ships are nearby but haven’t detected them. Sisko says to come out of warp and cut main power, and they’ll wait until the ships pass. The lights dim.
Meanwhile, Odo is looking at the star chart. Kira goes in to talk to him. He says he’s not going to the bridge and he wants to be alone.
Kira says that being alone hasn’t done any good, so maybe he should stop brooding and start talking. He turns to face her and asks if she’s the ship’s counselor. She says no, she’s a friend who comes to him when she needs help and is trying to return the favor.
Odo says she can return the favor by giving him a shuttlecraft and letting him go. Go where? They’re in the heart of the Dominion – where does he think he’s going to go? Odo turns back to the star chart and says “The Omarion Nebula.”
Why? Kira asks. He’s not sure why, but he knows he has to. Kira says she needs a better explanation. She asks him to talk to her and tell him what’s going on.
He says that ever since they’ve come into the Gamma Quadrant, he’s had a feeling like he’s being drawn somewhere, pulled by some instinct to a specific place – the Omarion Nebula. Why there? He doesn’t know. Kira says that once they’ve contacted the Founders, Sisko will surely…
No! He interrupts. Now! He has to leave now! Kira says she understands it’s important but they have a mission….
They’re interrupted by a loud explosion and are thrown forward.
On the bridge, T’Rul reports a direct hit on the port nacelle. Bashir asks how they saw through the cloaking device. Probably by analyzing sensor information.
Sisko says they’ll have to analyze and speculate later. He orders them to de-cloak, raise shields, and fire. Three Jem’Hadar ships are following them, shooting.
Communications and long-range sensors are destroyed. T’Rul is trying to reroute main power to fix the warp drive. Constant explosions rock the ship. Bashir has to take the helm when the unnamed helmsman is killed.
They fire on the lead ship, destroying it. The other two move around and come back for another pass, though a bit slower as they’re being cautious.
Sisko orders evasive pattern delta-5 to keep them off balance until they get warp power back.
Back in Odo’s quarters, he moves aside some debris to help Kira. She says she has just a few bruises. She tries to call the bridge but no one responds so she concludes they have to get there.
Back on the bridge, Sisko asks T’Rul about warp power. She’s still working. Bashir notes three more warships approaching. Sisko says to get away at full impulse.
In the hall, Odo wants to get to a shuttle. Kira says their duty is to get to the bridge and help defend the ship. Odo says if main power is out then the shields are out and the ship is defenseless.
Three Jem’Hadar appear before them, and hand-to-hand combat takes place.
On the bridge, T’Rul says that main power is off line and shields have collapsed. Bashir has lost helm control. Sisko says to ready escape pods and prepare to abandon ship. Three Jem’Hadar appear on the bridge. More hand-to-hand combat and shooting. T’Ru is knocked out.
Odo and Kira are also fighting. Kira is shot and falls to the ground.
Kira wakes up with a bruise on her head. She’s in a shuttlecraft with Odo.
She asks what happened. He says the ship was boarded and she was wounded. He got them to the shuttlecraft but he doesn’t know much more than that. The last time he saw the Defiant she was dead in space and surrounded by Jem’Hadar ships.
Kira asks about Sisko and Bashir. He doesn’t know anything. She asks where they are. Approaching the Omarion Nebula. She says he should have taken them to the wormhole. She didn’t object. She was unconscious. Odo doesn’t say anything.
She asks if he’s found anything. He nods.
There’s a class M Planet with no star system – a rogue planet. Yes, he says.
They approach and land on a rocky terrain in the dark.
Kira follows Odo to something that looks like a lake but not filled with water. It’s a sort of reflective brownish surface. As they stand there, a bit of the lake rises from the surface and forms, like Odo does, into a humanoid creature. Several others do the same. Odo stares in wonder.
Another emerges from the lake, this one with a face like Odo’s but with a more female form. “Welcome home,” she says to Odo, who doesn’t know what to say.
Stray Thoughts:
* Obviously a lot of unanswered questions here, some of which I assume will be answered in the next episode.
* They introduce Eddington and then nothing further happens with him, so I it’s safe to say he’s coming back in the future.
* The Defiant doesn’t so far seem to be a standout ship, though I guess it’s better than a runabout. Interesting that it’s the first time Starfleet decided to make a ship where there were no luxuries and no families. While obviously Starfleet officers on ship would be away for months or even years at a time, you have to think it’s probably also unsafe to bring along a spouse and kids, especially considering the potential for danger.
* Also, I’m not quite clear on the size of the ship. It looks to me like it’s significantly smaller than, for example, The Enterprise, and the bridge and the crew quarters do look tiny in comparison to what I’ve seen on The Next Generation. But also, it has at least one shuttlecraft, which surprises me.
* Welcome to Season 3!
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