DS9: “A Time to Stand” and “Rocks and Shoals”

Date: August 9, 2020

Season 6, Episodes 1 and 2

Musical Accompaniment: Back to Trek movie soundtracks with the Generations soundtrack.

Interstellar News: This weekend I did four loads of laundry, watched The Hunt for Red October (with so many TNG folks and Tim Curry!) with a dear friend for our Sunday morning movie date, and have continued to be amazed at how well the Kickstarter is doing. Also, only two more seasons until I’m onto Voyager!

Favorite Quote from “A Time to Stand”:

Bashir: Don’t take it so personally, Garak. It’s strictly a matter of mathematics.

Garak: No, it’s strictly a matter of our lives. You’re not genetically engineered. You’re a Vulcan.

Bashir: If I’m a Vulcan, then how do you explain my boyish smile?

Garak: Not so boyish anymore, Doctor.

Garak giving Bashir shit about being genetically enhanced and Bashir trying to be glib about it.

So what had happened in “A Time to Stand” was…: It’s three months into the Dominion War and everyone is on edge. Worf and Martok rendezvous with the Defiant followed by bad news regarding the 7th Fleet. Sisko and crew, plus Garak, are taken off the Defiant and given a very familiar Jem’Hadar ship to take out a ketracel-white supply station. They encounter a Starfleet ship that fires on them but is soon chased off by other Dominion ships and they make it to the facility. They make the exchange but are unable to leave right away and the bomb they deploy damages their ship as well, the worst being no warp drive.

On DS9 Kira shares that Bajorans will begin returning to the station but she also wants them reinstated at Security, which Dukat nixes much to the chagrin of Weyoun. Dukat also still hasn’t figured out how to de-mine the wormhole. Kira and Odo are sick of doing nothing but know they have to stay put and Quark reminds them both it could be worse, because it was during the Cardassian occupation. Jake tries to interview Weyoun but Weyoun won’t allow any transmissions until Jake reports more balanced without leaning one way or another. Kira talks Odo into using Weyoun’s obsession with him, so Odo gets the Bajorans back on security in exchange for being part of the big three to run the station (Odo, Weyoun, and Dukat).

“Okay, have it your way. First we’ll shed blood and then we’ll feast.”: The Dominion ship has no replicators (poor O’Brien), no infirmary (poor Bashir), no chairs (poor Nog), and no view screen (poor Dax) leaving each member of the team to wish it had at least one of those. It’s interesting to see Bashir show off a little more and give Dax a run for her money as the smartypants on the bridge. Sisko has to tell his dad about Jake and I absolutely love their relationship, you don’t often see or hear men tell each other that they love and care for each other… it’s so damn refreshing. I also love that Worf has been all atwitter about his wedding plans and that he’s making sure everything is done just so, it’s so damn adorable. The whole scene from Dax jumping into his arms, their discussion of the wedding, and them heading off to clearly have sex was just wonderful and clearly what was needed to add some light into the discussion.

On the station, Dukat has turned the creep factor up to 11 and I am disgusted. I know men like him in real life, the ones who get a little power and think they are untouchable. I’m sure there are women like that out there too, but I have had unfortunate dealings with powerful men who didn’t want to be told know and wanted things I did not want to give them. In this situation I would totally bet on Kira kicking his ass, that is once she gets her head out of hers. In my situation, let’s just say I know how to deescalate a situation quite nicely. It’s wonderful to know that Dukat is inept at the one thing he promised, de-mining the wormhole, and that it was Rom of all people who came up with the idea. I hate to admit it, but I do side with Weyoun about the notion of Jake just sticking to reporting the news and not adding any spin. Words have meanings for a reason and knowing what context a word is used makes all the difference… just ask George Carlin. 8 orders of Sisko’s jambalaya for this episode.

Favorite Quote from “Rocks and Shoals”:

O’Brien: I tore my pants.

Sisko: You tore your pants?

laughing uncontrolably

O’Brien: Yeah, I tore my pants. I guess, I guess I’m really in trouble now, huh?

Such a good moment, you had to be there.

So what had happened in “Rocks and Shoals” was…: The ship is still down, is followed into a nebula by two other Jem’Hadar ships, and they crash land on a planet with Dax being injured in the process. A group of 10 Jem’Hadar are also stranded on the planet and their Vorta, Keevan, is dying. Keevan has to ration the ketracel-white and orders his soldiers to observe and report on the Starfleet group. One of the soldiers fires and they all realize they can no longer shroud because they are weak. Sisko agrees to exchange himself and Bashir for Garak and Nog, who were captured, in order to talk with Keevan who sells out the Jem’Hadar so he can be held as a P.O.W. and Sisko can have their comm system. Sisko tries to talk the lead Jem’Hadar our of this but they attack anyway and all are killed, as is one of the Starfleet crew.

On DS9 Kira wakes up to go to work in Ops. Jake tries to interview Kira and Odo and he seems to know a lot, it doesn’t go well. Kira talks to Vedek Yassim about stopping the protest and this occupation is totally not like the Cardassian one. Yassim decides to protest by hanging herself on the Promenade. Kira, devastated, wakes up the next morning and realizes she’s the only Bajoran in Ops and walks out. She admits to Odo she feels like a collaborator and is now resolved to fight back.

“Do you really want to give up your life for the order of things?”: Okay so I loved the part where O’Brien is going “damned this and damned that” and then Nog says “damned” once and O’Brien tells him to “watch your mouth”, it was so pure and good. The whole Starfleet/Jem’Hadar story line is fascinating. You get a good look at a different side of the Jem’Hadar and their feelings, thoughts, and interactions with their particular Vorta. You have the hope that the Jem’Hadar will be swayed by Sisko’s arguments but in the end there’s nothing that can be done. Sisko still has to play the good guy and arrest Keevan even though he’s a dick and sold out those he was supposed to protect. Nog and Garak were adorable because they both did what they do best, but Garak can read the room better.

All of the bits back on DS9 are familiar ones as Kira is trying to settle into her new routine. Everything’s fine until she has the horrifying realization she has no idea who she is anymore. She knows she has to protect Bajor but the cost of a vedek and countless others is too high, so she retreats to what she knows best. Jake is there to keep everyone on their toes and it’s funny to hear him constantly quote “his sources”. I wonder if we’ll ever find out who they are. It’s a very good episode despite how dark it winds up ending, a tale of good things to come I am sure. 8 days a week I realize I’ve become the thing I hate most, says Kira.

TA Out!