Deep Space 9 Superior

[Starbase]

Yeah. She promised she would come save him eventually...a promise apparently forgotten.

LOL, poor Tom Riker.

This very good episode would have profound repercussions later in the series in such shows as 'The Die Is Cast' and 'Improbable Cause'. Poor Tom Riker was left to linger in a Cardassian Labor camp awaiting a long overdue rescue. It makes sense that Sisko would work out the arrangement of this sentence, given the draconian nature of Cardassian justice (first seen in 'Tribunal') he barters with Gul Dukat on Tom's behalf, but we all kbnow how Sisko feels about the Maquis and especially Starfleet Officers that turned to the Maquis. Kira does promise Tom that she won't let him waste away in a labor camp. But as we all know the series ended without another mention of his name.

One of the high points of this episode is the Cardassian Central Command's War Room that Sisko and Gul Dukat are shown in. TPTB did an excellent job creating the special effects for the displays that the two of them continually consult as they form a strategy to defeat the Defiant. And when Korinas of the Obsidian Order joins them in the War Room it adds even more intrigue to the affair. The clash of wills and political views between Central Command and the Obsidian Order would be one of the best continuing storylines of the third season. Also, Gul Dukat demonstrates that he has somewhat of a humane side, when he reveals to Sisko that he regrets having to miss his son's birthday. The two of them share stories about their sons adding a new dimension to their relationship that would be explored over the next two seasons. Kira's scathing indictment of Tom's sense of a higher calling and her final pleas to Tom to surrender the Defiant to Sisko and Gul Dukat are also highlights here.

[Descent]

I loved Dukat talking about his son's birthday. DS9 really did a great job fleshing out all the villains in the series.

I think Tom Riker's rescue was dealt with in some EU Novel...least thats what I heard. I'll look it up.

[Starbase]

I think Tom Riker's rescue was dealt with in some EU Novel...least thats what I heard. I'll look it up.

Good call Descent, Tom Riker and his situation did come up in the 1999 DS9 novel titled The 34th Rule, I remember this book although I never did read it. I think brother Fifth has it in his collection. It got great reviews from what I read. Here is a small excerpt about the book where Tom Riker, Will Riker and Deanna are mentioned.....

The 34th Rule offers listeners who prefer the Deep Space Nine universe a tale about Quark, the quintessential Ferengi businessman. When the Grand Nagus of Ferengi refuses to sell a religious relic to Bajor, the Bajoran government retaliates by banning all Ferengi from Bajoran space. Quark and his brother Rom become political prisoners, but as Ferengi and Bajorans prepare for war, Quark may be the only one able to negotiate a peace settlement. Coauthor Shimerman plays Quark on the television series, and it's obvious he's enjoying himself in his performance here. His portrayal of both Quark and his brother are heartfelt and gratifying. Too much of the action depends on barked orders and sizzling weaponry, but explorations of race hatred and individual dignity make this title a good choice for sf collections with extensive Star Trek holdings. Languishing in a Cardassian labor camp, Tom Riker takes advantage of a prison breakout only to find himself at the mercy of a notorious Romulan renegade in Imzadi II: Triangle. Tom, who is the "accidental" twin of Will Riker due to a transporter malfunction, finds himself the focal point of a plot to destroy the Klingon Empire. Meanwhile, Worf and Deanna Troi make marriage plans as a frustrated Will examines his own feelings toward her. For Will and Deanna share a special relationship encompassing physical and spiritual aspects of the Betazoid psycheAthey are Imzadi. Reader Robert O'Reilly does an outstanding job differentiating characters, and sound effects enhance the storyline. Star Trek: Next Generation fans have been waiting seven years for this sequel (Imzadi/Q-In-Law, Audio Reviews, LJ 9/15/92). Highly recommended.ASusan Dunman, Murray State Univ., KY
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

[Descent]

Awesome, I knew I heard about something like that. I'll have to check it out, thanks Starbase.

[the Fifth Race]

Good call Descent, Tom Riker and his situation did come up in the 1999 DS9 novel titled The 34th Rule, I remember this book although I never did read it. I think brother Fifth has it in his collection. It got great reviews from what I read. [/I]

The 34th Rule was a great story!, definetly one of the best after series storyline DS9 books. I don't think its in print anymore but I bet there are plenty of copies to be had online or at used book stores.

[Descent]

Ah I see, I'll just check out my local library then.

[the Fifth Race]

Season VI DS9 episode discussion
Episode # 16

Change of Heart
When Dax and Worf are sent to the Badlands to meet with a Cardassian double-agent, they receive an encrypted subspace transmission from Lasaran, the operative. He has information about where the Founders are located in the Alpha Quadrant, but before he will reveal anything, he wants Dax and Worf to help him defect. In three days, he plans to walk into the jungle on the planet Soukara. Since Dax and Worf will be unable to beam him off the planet, they are to rendezvous with him in the jungle. Seeing no alternative, they agree to the plan.

Dax and Worf head immediately for the Soukara system, successfully landing the runabout in the middle of the jungle. They have just under two days to reach the rendezvous point, and although this is about 20 kilometers away, they will have to penetrate the Dominion's sensors and get past their patrols.

Reconfiguring their tricorders to mask their lifesigns, Dax and Worf are able to begin their trek through the jungle. They hike the entire day, finally stopping to make camp after night falls. Despite the difficulty of the journey, it is almost like a honeymoon for the newlyweds, who enjoy talking and joking together. However, they soon realize they are in the path of a Jem'Hadar patrol.

With no way to escape, they quickly formulate a plan of attack. They manage to kill all three Jem'Hadar, but Dax is shot with a disruptor that leaves an anti-coagulant in her wound — meaning the bleeding cannot be stopped. With the help of painkillers and regular plasma transfusions, they continue their trek, but Dax's injuries impede their progress, and eventually she loses the ability to walk.

Worf realizes that Dax's only hope for survival is surgery. Since they cannot abandon their mission, Dax and Worf both decide Worf must keep going, leaving Dax behind to die. The newlyweds share a kiss goodbye, and Worf heads off into the jungle. But as he gets farther and farther away, Worf realizes he cannot complete the mission. Instead, he rushes back to the now-unconscious Dax, reaching her just in time to save her life. Back on Deep Space Nine, he learns she will recover, but their mission is a complete loss — Lasaran has been killed. Sisko informs Worf that, as Captain, he must tell Worf he made the wrong choice, but as a man and a husband, he probably would have done the same thing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I don't have to much to say about this episode. Worf goes against his orders and the possibility of obtaining information that could change the course of the war in the favor of the Federation to save his wife which ends up getting the very important informant killed with all his secrets. Was it a wise choice?, IMHO, no way!, is it the same decision I would have made if I was in Worf's position?, NOT if it was ex-wife, I would have left her for animals to feed off of . But if it was a woman I loved with all my heart, I would have done the samething Worf did.

I am not sure where to rank this episode, it wasn't bad but it wasn't particulary great either. I did enjoy O'Brien and Bashir learning Tongo to try and beat Quarks 226 game winning streak, and then watching Quark throw Bashir off his game and lose his concentration by talking about how Jadzia should not be with Worf and then of course wins again to keep his streak alive.

10 star rating system
StarTrek.com gives it 9.2 stars ....... (overrated)
GateWorld gives it 4.3 stars ....... (idiots!)
I give it 7.0 stars ........(perfect of course )

[Descent]

What was Worf thinking?

Spoiler:

He should've gone along with the mission cause it didn't really matter for Jadzia in the long run.

I like the fact that the writers never forgot that Bashir and Quark both had strong feelings for Jadzia. Sisko should've made sure they never went on a mission together from the moment they got married not wait until after the fact...but oh well.

Thats about all I have to say actually, lol. Theres really not much to say about this one.

7/10 from me.

[the Fifth Race]

What was Worf thinking?

Spoiler:

He should've gone along with the mission cause it didn't really matter for Jadzia in the long run.

LOL. you bad bad boy Descent

I like the fact that the writers never forgot that Bashir and Quark both had strong feelings for Jadzia. Sisko should've made sure they never went on a mission together from the moment they got married not wait until after the fact...but oh well.

Thats about all I have to say actually, lol. Theres really not much to say about this one.

7/10 from me.

I totally agree, I sat there with note pad in hand and I only wrote maybe 6 lines. Again, it wasn't a bad episode and I did feel for Jadzia and we got to see a whole new side of Worf, but still, just a little above average for me.

Kira was running the station and she actually made the decision because Sisko was gone and with Starfleet Intelligences blessing to send Worf and Jadzia together out of neccessity because of how important Lasaran was to them.

Note: I found a bunch of cached text material stuff of Ronald D. Moore doing interviews (circa 1996- 1998) and talking pretty extensively about each and every episode (whether he wrote them or not) where he gives a lot of great inside information with stuff like how he and other powers that be used the allotted budget for each episode, how they wanted to spend more on CGI and other very provactive and insider stuff I never knew about cast memebers, guest stars, guest directors, storylines, theories, idea's ...etc...

I will dig through it later and see if I can find anything about this episode and season VI in general. I know Trek_Girl is a big Ronald D. Moore (as am I), as I'm sure most Trek fans are.

[Descent]

Really? I'm a big RDM fan, he's my favorite Star Trek writer. Is there a link to all this material?

[HirogenGater]

Is the episode you're referring to "The Defiant"? I've actually seen this one.....and it's on tomorrow.

Great ep! I recall the interraction between Kira and "Riker" was very good.

I believe that's the one.

[Trek_Girl42]

Note: I found a bunch of cached text material stuff of Ronald D. Moore doing interviews (circa 1996- 1998) and talking pretty extensively about each and every episode (whether he wrote them or not) where he gives a lot of great inside information with stuff like how he and other powers that be used the allotted budget for each episode, how they wanted to spend more on CGI and other very provactive and insider stuff I never knew about cast memebers, guest stars, guest directors, storylines, theories, idea's ...etc...

I will dig through it later and see if I can find anything about this episode and season VI in general. I know Trek_Girl is a big Ronald D. Moore (as am I), as I'm sure most Trek fans are.

Yay! I'd love to read this stuff! Did you see the essay he wrote for the New York Times just after Trek's fourtieth(wow, that is definitly miss-spelled) anniversary? It was a very nice little piece.

[kmiller1610]

Hopeless romantic that I am, I loved this episode. Not much to say about it, other than, I wished I had a realtionship with that much fire in it. Sisko's decision to avoid future missions dependant on husbands and wives pairing made a lot of sense.

[Descent]

Sisko's decision to avoid future missions dependant on husbands and wives pairing made a lot of sense.

I still think he should of made a note about it right after they got married but...*shrug*

[USS Defiant]

Change of Heart
I don't have to much to say about this episode. Worf goes against his orders and the possibility of obtaining information that could change the course of the war in the favor of the Federation to save his wife which ends up getting the very important informant killed with all his secrets. Was it a wise choice?, IMHO, no way!, is it the same decision I would have made if I was in Worf's position?, NOT if it was ex-wife, I would have left her for animals to feed off of . But if it was a woman I loved with all my heart, I would have done the samething Worf did.

LOLOL brother Fifthl, as you know my friend, I knew your ex-wife pretty well and I would have left her behind for a lowly Cardassian myself.

I was kind of annoyed by Worf, I do love the Jadzia character (she is so very cool and beautiful), but there was something annoying about it. That being said, the episode was very well written, there were a lot of little details that are common with DS9 and made this a better episode. One of the things that kind of struck me as interesting was at the end when Jadzia wakes up in the DS9 infirmary and realizes that she is safe and back home, the first thing she asks Worf about is where is Lasaran and what happened on the mission?. Worf tells her that the mission is lost and Lasaran was killed because he abandoned him to save her, and instead of Jadzia looking like she is happy to be alive or thankful to Worf, she has this look of grief and remorse for being responsible for Lasarans death, a blown mission and Worf being in obvious trouble, it's all in the details! and it said a lot about the Jadzia character, Great Stuff!.

I am not sure where to rank this episode, it wasn't bad but it wasn't particulary great either. I did enjoy O'Brien and Bashir learning Tongo to try and beat Quarks 226 game winning streak, and then watching Quark throw Bashir off his game and lose his concentration by talking about how Jadzia should not be with Worf and then of course wins again to keep his streak alive.

That whole thing with Quark talking about how he only gave the Jadzia/Worf marriage a month or two and knowing how that Bashir also loved her (like Quark did) was rather brilliant and quite funny. As a matter of fact that was the start of Quark and Bashir lamenting the fact that Jadzia and Worf were together. They went on to complain and wonder how and why a few more times over the rest of season 6, which was always funny.

10 star rating system
StarTrek.com gives it 9.2 stars ....... (overrated)
GateWorld gives it 4.3 stars ....... (idiots!)
I give it 7.0 stars ........(perfect of course )

You are correct my friend, ST.com has it way overrated and GW.com has it way underrated. I would rank right with you and Descent, 7.0