#bashir and his wounded optimism

[lucy-moderatz]

This conversation never happened. You're dismissed.

[echrai]

If anyone had asked Julian, a bright and shiny freshly minted starfleet officer, full of optimism and hopes and dreams, how he had expected to become a parent, the answer would never have been that Elim Garak brings home a traumatized fourteen-year old boy who can’t go home again. But isn’t that the family crest all on its own. You can’t go home again, not when home will kill you in ways that aren’t all physical. One thing that the Garak-Bashir family has never valued in their children is compliance. Why would they? Their children are made purely of spite, of stubbornness, of a willingness to burn the world to the ground out of loyalty and love. To see that twisted and made small, someone threatening to break it into pieces is enough to have his blood running hot and cold at the same time. 

Now at forty-one, his family fully established and full of the strays they’ve collected along their years, it’s easy to look up and see their oldest son and wonder if they failed Isak in some way. If there was something they could have done or should have done to keep him safer, to keep him on a path that never led to a panicked late night phone call and an extraction from a spouse that decided wedding vows came best written in bruises and scars. In tearing down the core of your partner and scraping out everything that makes them unique and vibrant, to fill it with something compliant and bendable.

That panicked call came in the middle of the night, Julian snapping fully awake the minute he heard panicked sobs coming from the comm speaker as Garak answered. He picked up enough information as Garak started arranging transport to send a message to Kira and let her know they might need to call in one of their many shared favors to get him home. Julian hadn’t heard Isak cry like that since his first night in their home six years earlier, heart breaking at how much his life had shattered. It was less than 24 hours after that late-night panic that he was installed back into his room at the family home, escorted back by Julian himself, after a second call that tried to walk back how scared and small Isak had sounded. Elim wasn’t willing to wait for a third call from a medical examiner asking them to come identify a body, and neither was Julian.

They were lucky, is the reality. They were lucky that Isak called. They were lucky that Elim still maintained the political capital that they were safe. They were lucky that Isak had married someone stupid enough to underestimate the threat their family could pose. They were lucky that Isak’s husband had left on a business trip immediately after brutalizing him, thinking that Isak would stay home and nurse his wounds and then still be there groveling and apologizing as soon as the trip ended. Instead, if they were lucky, Elim Garak would decide not to handle this specific incident personally. That he would leave it to his security team to handle sending the intended message. To never contact Isak again, to never be seen in this quadrant of the known galaxies ever again, to never say Isak’s name, to never think Isak’s name, to never for a single moment summon the curiosity to wonder what Isak might be up to. To simply disappear into the darkness of their own free will, or they would be made to disappear in a far more permanent manner.

[occasionalstorytelling]

Of Danger and Lies: Whumptober, Day One

Fandom: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Word Count: 2,342

Summary: After the end of the war, Garak and Bashir live together on Cardassia Prime. Garak works on rebuilding his home, and Julian explores the city looking for adventure. One day, something finds Julian.

Tags: Stabbing, Blood Loss

Garak was sick of drinking cold tea from a broken coffee machine. He was sick of the cold winter weather making him drowsy all day. At this exact second, however, he didn’t care about either of those things, because he was too busy being sick of waiting for Julian to get home.

Julian had said he’d be gone for less than an hour. It had been twice that time already, and no still sign of him. How long could it possibly take to run a few simple errands? But leave it to Julian to get distracted. He’d be back at the the office any minute now, holding something random in one hand, that same wide-eyed surprised look splattered all over his face, saying something like “I’ve never seen this fruit before! Is it native to Cardassia?” Of course it is, Doctor. And you’ll likely find it disgusting, just like the last few Cardassian delicacies you tried. But go ahead and give it a taste, because your completely unjustified optimism is the only thing that makes life seem worth it.

It had been a long day. Garak was sick of dealing with paperwork and reports. As soon as Julian got back, they were going straight home. Garak was ready to ditch his responsibilities for the night, cuddle up with Julian (who was always so WARM, even in the winter) and talk about their hopes for the future and not about the crushing realities of reality. Julian was the perfect companion for nights like that. Garak stirred his stupid cold tea with a finger, shifted his stupid scarf around his neck against the cold, and pretended to read something on his desk while he waited for Julian to come back.

“Sir!” Garak’s assistant came busting into the office, unannounced. Tain would never have tolerated that kind of behavior, Garak reflected drily. “There’s a human dead in the street outside!”

Now that was exactly the sort of thing Julian should be here for, Garak thought. Julian was a doctor, after all, and not every Cardassian doctor knew how to treat mammals. Whoever was outside would be better off with a veterinarian. Then again, he’d be better off if he came inside and waited for Julian to treat him, just like Garak was waiting for Julian. Come to think of it, though, where did the human come from? The only human Garak knew of living in the city was Julian, and…

It wasn’t a human dead in the street outside. It was his human dead in the street outside. In a swift fluid motion, Garak was suddenly past his assistant and out of the office, not even stopping to grab his coat. A small crowd was gathering in the street, murmuring and whispering to each other. Again, Tain would never have tolerated this, Garak thought grimly as he pushed though. Tain wouldn’t have let the rabble fuss over a measly dead body. If Julian was really dead, Garak didn’t know what he would do.

“Let me pass,” Garak hissed, shoving through the crowd with his sharp shoulders. He emerged into a small clear space, devoid of people except for one human lying on the ground. His dark skin color was visible through his frankly scandalous clothing choice, all that collarbone out in the open air, and in weather like this, too? Humans really have no understanding of the cold. 

The body was definitely Julian. He was lying face down on the ground, clutching a scrap of fabric in one hand. His bag must have been stolen. At a brief glance, he didn’t seem hurt. Some Cardassians wouldn’t know a dead human from a sleeping one, anyway, so it was entirely possible that everything was totally fine. Everything was fine.

Tain once said that the most dangerous lies are the ones you tell yourself…especially the ones you need to believe.

Garak knelt next to Julian, and ever so gently, flipped him over so he was lying on his back. Julian coughed at this (proving he was alive, which was good) but Garak’s new view of him revealed a dark patch of red all over his stomach, bleeding sticky red through his clothes.

“Julian?” Garak cupped Bashir’s face in one hand. “What happened?”

Julian fluttered his eyes, but they didn’t open. Come on, human medicine, try to remember something, Garak thought. He checked Julian’s pulse. There were some difficulties in finding it, so Garak could only assume it was weaker than usual. And Julian’s hands were cold. That wasn’t good. Julian was always so warm, but he wasn’t right now. That really wasn’t good. Humans were supposed to be warm. Garak scooped Julian up off the ground, hoping that he wasn’t injuring Julian more in an attempt to help him.

“Is anyone a doctor? A veterinarian?” Garak looked around at the crowd. Nothing but blank faces and confusion.

“Then get out of the way!” Garak screamed, channeling the all-consuming worry for Julian into anger and intimidation.

The crowd silently cleared a path. Despite the ridiculous cold, Garak fought through it, carrying Julian into the waiting room of his office. His assistant stood in the doorway, hovering uncertainly.

Garak took a small knife from one of his pockets and began cutting away at the fabric of Julian’s shirt. It only seemed to make the blood flow harder, and Julian’s face was starting to turn white. Garak examined the injury as best he could. It was a deep, thin cut—a stab wound. It wasn’t a very clean cut, either—clearly an amateurs work. And on top of that, humans were so fragile. No protective scales…and there was no point in carrying a knife on Cardassia if it couldn’t break a Cardassian’s skin. The knife must have ripped through Julian’s soft, perfect, unmarked skin like a…Garak shook his head, trying to focus.

“Call a veterinarian or a doctor,” Garak said to the assistant. “Whoever can get here first, so long as they know how to treat mammals.”

The assistant bolted out of the room, and Garak could only assume they were getting a communicator. Julian coughed and managed to flick his eyes open.

“I’m…I’m sorry I was running late,” he smiled weakly.

“Shh...it’s all right,” Garak said, gently pushing Julian’s hair out of his eyes. “What happened, dearest one?”

“Someone in the market...I was just getting back here when someone tried to take my purse. He called me a name and then...stabbed me,” Julian tried to sit up.

“Stay down,” Garak said. “Try not to move. Where’s your medkit?”

“There’s a spare at home,” Julian coughed. “The one I keep with me... it’s gone.”

“That’s okay,” Garak soothed. The medkit at home was a half hour’s walk away. Too far to be any use. “A doctor is on the way,” Garak lied. He had no idea if that was true. He hoped it was. “What do I do?” he asked.

“Put pressure on it,” Julian said. Garak removed his scarf, barely conscious anymore of the cold, and pressed it into Julian’s wound. Julian hissed with pain as he did so, then began to settle just slightly.

“How did this happen?” Garak whispered, mostly to himself.

“I’m not very good with Cardassian yet...but the name he called me. It was a compound word. Something about you, and something like “pet,” and something like “servant,” I think,” Julian said. “I guess I need to *cough* brush up on those lessons you’re giving me.”

“I know the word,” Garak said through gritted teeth. “Your translation is a kind way of putting it. I…I’ve heard people call you that before, but I made it clear how I felt about it and what I would do to anyone who used it,” Garak hissed.

Julian groaned. “More pressure. I’m...this hurts, it really hurts, Garak.”

Garak steeled himself, and pressed as hard as he could without breaking bones. “How’s this, my love?”

“I have no idea,” Julian sighed. “I need a doctor.”

“I know,” Garak blinked, trying to hold back tears. “I’m so sorry…whoever did this, they hurt you because of me, because of the way I love you. It’s my fault.”

“Love doesn’t hurt,” Julian coughed weakly. “And this isn’t your fault. I’m...getting sleepy. Keep me awake until a doctor arrives, okay? I might be going into shock, but I’m not sure, but I don’t know what we can do about that right now anyway.”

“Okay,” Garak said, putting all his focus on applying the appropriate pressure to the wound. “How do I keep you awake?”

“Ask me questions,” Julian said. “So I have to think.”

“Okay,” Garak said as he felt Julian’s blood beginning to soak though the scarf, warming his hands. It was almost a pleasant sensation, but that body heat belonged to Julian, and it shouldn’t be slipping away like this. Garak couldn’t stop himself from crying, like he hadn’t cried in a long time. “Julian, do you know where we are?”

“Your office,” Julian smiled. “My Garak, leading the way, rebuilding Cardassia.”

“That’s right,” Garak smiled sadly. “Do you remember how to say office in Cardassian?”

“No,” Julian furrowed his brow. “But I remember how to say home. And when I say my home, I actually say that it’s ours, and I use your name as part of the identifying structure.”

“Good,” Garak said, his vision starting to blur with tears. “You’ll be speaking Cardassian like a native soon enough.”

“You really think so?” Julian smiled, closed his eyes, and leaned his head back.

“I do,” Garak said. “What’s your favorite word I’ve taught you so far?”

Julian didn’t respond, his muscles going slack as he started to drift off.

“No, no, Julian, stay awake, stay awake, okay?” Garak hesitated for a horrible moment between shaking him awake and maintaining the pressure on the injury. He decided to focus on the pressure, trying to keep Julian’s blood where it belonged. “Julian, please, tell me any word you can remember in Cardassian, okay? You have to focus.”

Julian stirred, and said a word that froze Garak’s blood.

“Wherever did you hear that?” Garak flushed, angrily. It meant traitor, but more than that, it meant useless object. Something you’d discard. Someone who’d die in exile. It was a word Garak hadn’t heard in a long time. It was from one of Garak’s worst memories of Tain.

“s’ the first Cardassian word I learned,” Julian said, barely conscious. “Tain said it about you when I had to talk to him about the…the thingy in your brain. I thought it had to be good, because it’s about you. Is it a good one?”

“It’s not,” Garak said tightly. Some days he wished he could make Julian forget about the Wire.

“Okay,” Julian said. “Then...beloved. How do you say that in Cardassian?”

“I’ll teach you the syllables if you can stay awake for me,” Garak whispered.

“I’m…’m trying, Garak,” Julian coughed, voice weak from the blood loss. Garak’s hands were starting to stain red as the warm, sticky blood soaked through the scarf. How much blood could humans lose before they died? Garak didn’t know. Julian had already lost a lot.

“Is it worth it?” Garak asked, not sure if the question was meant for Julian or himself. “You’re only going to get hurt, staying attached to me like this. What if this is only the beginning? What if...what if it kills you, to be loved by me?”

“It’s worth it,” Julian said. “It won’t kill me, Garak…but if it did, it would be worth it.”

Despite Garak’s best efforts to keep Julian awake, that was the last thing Julian said until the doctor arrived. The doctor worked on Julian as Garak’s assistant ushered him away to wash his hands. Garak watched the red drain away into the sink. There was so much of it. It took only a few swipes of a dermal regenerator for the doctor to close the horrible hole in Julian’s stomach, but this didn’t mean Julian was safe, yet. Garak was told they’d need a matching human blood donor or a lot of replicator units (and quickly) to replace the blood he’d lost.

“Use my replicator units,” Garak didn’t hesitate. “It’ll take too long to find a donor.”

“It’s going to be a lot of units,” the doctor said.

“Use them all if you have to,” Garak glared. The doctor looked at Garak, every inch a man capable of murder, and complied. The transplant was replicated and given to Julian.

“He’ll wake up soon,” the doctor said, after the worst of the danger was passed. “We can move him to your house now. He should rest until he’s fully healed. It might be a few days.”

“I understand,” Garak said. They moved Julian on a stretcher into a vehicle and then to Garak’s house. Garak paid the doctor and set Julian up in his bed, sitting upright for circulation.

While Julian slept, Garak sifted through Julian’s pockets. Julian had kept most of his money safe in a wallet, so that had survived the mugging. In another pocket, there was a component piece that would have fixed the broken coffee machine. Garak sighed sadly. Julian really was too good for him.

A piece of paper fell out of Julian’s coat as Garak shook it out. A note, stained just slightly red with drops of human blood. Julian’s blood. It read: “Cardassia hates you. You will never weaken us with federation values. You’re next.”

It was written in Cardassian. It was unmistakably meant for Garak. Garak shredded the note and incinerated it.

Julian woke up not longer after, to a cup of room-temperature water Garak had ready for him. “Thank you,” Julian rasped. “How am I doing? Am I gonna be okay?”

“Everything is going to be okay,” Garak lied. He had no idea how things would be.

Tain was wrong, Garak decided. The most dangerous lies are the ones you tell your lover.

[itsclydebitches]

The Needs of the Many: A Garashir Reading of “Broken Link”

What’s the current definition of stupidity? It might be trying to write meta for a twenty-six year old show. But you know what? I’m doing it anyway. I make questionable fandom choices and regret mostly nothing.

So. I’m still watching Deep Space Nine—about halfway through season five, but with pretty much every spoiler under my belt considering I have no patience and dove straight into the fic—and I am, without a doubt, absolute garashir trash. Now this is important because as I watch I’ve been on the lookout for all the major scenes and episodes that the fans like to talk about, those that catch our attention for obvious reasons: “Past Prologue,” “The Wire,” “Our Man Bashir,” and the like. However, through my (admittedly cursory) browsing these last few months, I’ve been surprised to find no one talking about season four’s finale “Broken Link.”

On the surface it makes sense. Though Garak gets one of his all too rare episodes, we’ve past the point of no return with Berman’s homophobia and our two lovesick faves aren’t interacting as much as they once did. RIP. 

Thus, it’s easy to pass over Garak doing another Bad Thing in the name of his Cardassian devotion, especially when the Bad Thing is circumvented thanks to Worf instead of Julian. However, what’s nagged at me since watching that scene is one simple, yet significant detail.

Julian was down on that planet.

Quick re-cap for those of us who haven’t watched in a while: the Defiant is taking Odo back to the Great Link in order to cure him of the disease they saddled him with in the first place (nice, huh?). Garak realizes that this may be the one and only time they have all the Founders together and potentially vulnerable. He tries to gain control of the Defiant’s weaponry, but is ultimately discovered and stopped by Worf. Sorry, Garak. You might be surprisingly fit for just a plain, simple tailor, but you’ve got nothing on a battle-obsessed Klingon.

All caught up? Fantastic. Now, all around it’s not a terrible plan. There are just two potential issues. The first is the whole, you know, genocide thing. Some of us tend to frown at that, no matter how much good eliminating the Founders might do moving forward. Beyond that pesky little moral issue, we have the problem that Odo, Sisko, and Julian are all down on the planet’s surface, their deaths a surety if Garak manages to succeed in his plan. This is acknowledged too, so we can’t live with the happy assumption that Garak just wasn’t informed about who was accompanying Odo on this particular mission:

Worf: And what about Odo, and Captain Sisko and Doctor Bashir?

Garak: They'll die. And once the Jem'Hadar ships realize what we're doing, so will we. But what are our lives compared to saving the entire Alpha Quadrant?

From a shipping perspective it doesn’t look too good. After all, how loving is your duo if one can so easily sacrifice the other, without a moment’s hesitation or—dare we imagine it—a single tear in sight? It’s a rather grim picture, the sort of scene that jars shippers out of their lovely little pockets, carefully crafted worlds where suspension of disbelief runs wild. The show-runners may not have had the balls to make anything canon until 2017 (good god), but provided the characters in question don’t actively sabotage the relationship, thereby leaving room for imagining something more, you’re good to go. No such luck with this scene.

At least, it appears that way at first glance. It occurs to me that there are a couple of potential readings if we feel inclined to reach for them. I find it notable that Garak is already thinking to the next logical consequence. That is, Jem’Hadar ships bearing down on them, him meeting his own demise soon after Julian. There’s admittedly something romantic in that. The willingness to let your loved one go, safe in the knowledge that you’ll be quick to join them. We could even argue that Garak isn’t thinking straight in this moment. We know he’s a proud man devoted to his people, exile aside, and right before this he has a rather gutting conversation with the primary Founder:

Founder: They're dead. You're dead. Cardassia is dead. Your people were doomed the moment they attacked us. I believe that answers your question.

So, as far as Garak knows, entire fleets of his people were killed in their last battle, including his father—quite the emotional blow, even if Tain was an absolute shit dad. He’s also received confirmation of what the Federation has long suspected, that the Dominion isn’t content to keep the Alpha Quadrant out of their business, but has every intention of seizing control and, given their history, eliminating rather than assimilating it, to quote the Borg. You’re dead. Your entire species is dead. Everyone else you associate with, even those insidious humans, are dead. It’s only a matter of time. As Garak has pointed out seasons earlier, he knows when to cut his losses and that was one hell of a “resistance if futile” speech. If the rest of the quadrant has any hope of survival, now is the time to cut those losses—including Julian. 

Which I actually really love. 

Because it’s true to Garak’s character. He’s a complicated, morally gray guy, just the sort to blow himself and his shop up in the hopes of saving his life. Or justify killing the entirety of one species to ensure the survival of many. As much as we (or at least I) would have loved a dramatic declaration of love, the realization that he can’t target the Founders no matter how necessary it may seem because his Julian would be caught in the crossfire… that’s just not Garak. Just as importantly, it’s not Julian either. See, I think this scene pairs rather well with “Our Man Bashir.” We can come up with the same sort of potential readings for why Julian was willing to shoot someone he—from the shipper’s perspective—is already head over heels in love with: he’s a doctor and had every confidence in his ability to keep Garak alive until they get out of the holosuite. He’s genetically enhanced and has superb aim, knowing he’ll only create a flesh wound. He was really trying to hit the wall and fucked that one up badly whoops, etc. Regardless of those headcanons though, canonically speaking Julian did shoot him and that’s all there is to it. More specifically, he shot Garak to make sure that Sisko, Kira, Worf, O’Brien, and Jadzia survived, a sacrificing the one to save the many situation, much like Garak’s plan. Or, to put it another way: 

Spirk is the ultimate standard for all other Star Trek ships, if not, for many, shipping in general. Lots of fans have already pointed out the similarities between the sickbay hand clasp in Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Julian’s moment of forgiveness in “The Wire,” 

but there’s another parallel between Spock’s iconic sacrifice and the choices made in DS9. “Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few” to which Kirk answers, “Or the one.” This is the same logic that our new duo is abiding by. 

Though a notorious liar, we’re left with nothing else that challenges Garak’s words—he truly seems to believe that the Alpha Quadrant’s safety is worth sacrificing those on the Defiant for. Though a doctor through and through, we’re left with Julian’s steady hand and blood on Garak’s neck—he truly seems to believe that potentially losing one friend is worth assuredly saving five. Neither one is willing to compromise their morals for the other and I personally think that speaks to a healthy amount of respect, both for themselves and each other. In the same way that Garak embraces Julian’s Federation-style optimism and Julian comes to understand that lies are how Garak communicates, they simply and completely accept one another. That includes saying through actions if not words, “I love you, but I’m not going to let that love compromise my core beliefs.” Neither is the type to let love interfere with what they perceive as their duty, but that doesn’t mean the love doesn’t exist. 

Of course, if we follow the spirk parallel, that devotion to the many is later challenged. In The Search for Spock Kirk reverses the logic and justifies his journey with, “Because the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many.” Anyone who reads any of my metas knows that Context Is a Thing and in this case the context for both films is personal sacrifice. Spock chooses to sacrifice himself to save the Enterprise. Kirk and the others choose to risk their lives and their careers to get Spock back. These are markedly different situations from what Julian and Garak shoulder: sacrificing one another for the many. If you love someone, then giving up your life for them is easy. Having that action save a whole bunch of other people along the way? Icing on the cake. You die knowing that you’ve done the heroic deed and your better half lives on. But can you harm your other half to uphold your oath as a doctor? Can you kill them to save millions of others? I’d argue that Julian and Garak have the far more difficult choice and both of them managed to answer, “Yes.” It’s a testament to their characterization and, given their strong ethics, precisely how well they fit together. They know where the other stands, what they mean to one another…and when they can’t afford to prioritize that love over everyone else. 

In the end, neither even knew that their sacrifice would pay off. If Garak had succeeded in gaining control of the Defiant’s weaponry he might have found that the Founders had another trick up their sleeve to ensure their survival, leaving him with a dead Julian and an unharmed foe. Julian doesn’t know if he and Garak will be able to survive the holosuite program—or what might happen to the others if they perish. He might end up losing everyone, himself included. Neither has any assurances when they make their decision and that to me makes it that much more meaningful. They’re both acts of determination and faith. And from a narrative standpoint (with help from a healthy dose of Plot Armor) they’re both rewarded for that faith. Garak isn’t forced to kill Julian. Julian’s shot harmlessly skims Garak’s neck. They made the hard call, lost little, and in the case of “Our Man Bashir,” gained a healthy dose of respect for what the other was capable of. 

I think that’s pretty damn neat. 

Right. Thank you for coming to my decades late TED Talk. Peace ✌️

Image Credit

#1: https://boldly-yo.tumblr.com/post/183708405938

GIF: http://kuma-la-la.tumblr.com/post/36694488334/the-needs-of-the-many-outweigh-the-needs-of

#2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirk/Spock

#3: https://edosianorchids901.tumblr.com/post/181806580405/garak-and-julian-in-222-the-wire

[douxreviews]

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - ‘Hippocratic Oath’ Review

Bashir: "We are dealing with a complex situation here." O'Brien: "No, it is not complex. It is simple."

By nature I love brevity: DS9 continues to make use of the pairing of O'Brien and Bashir, here delivering an interesting character study of both men. But it's also a far more unlikely character study of the Jem'Hadar.

Let me start by laying out the situation. O'Brien and Bashir are made to crash land on a remote planet in the Gamma Quadrant on their way home from a bio-survey of Merik III. When they exit the runabout, they are captured by a squad of Jem'Hadar soldiers. The Jem'Hadar First, Goran'Agar, initially intends to kill them both, but decides not to when Bashir reveals he is a doctor. It turns out Goran'Agar crash-landed on the planet three years ago, and when he ran out of Ketracel-White, he discovered that he was no longer addicted to the drug. Now he wants Bashir to figure out how to free his other soldiers from their addictions to the White.

Obviously, Bashir and O'Brien have very different reactions to this situation. Bashir wants to help Goran'Agar to cure his men, and O'Brien simply wants to escape and leave the Jem'Hadar to fend for themselves. Both of these approaches are so very in character for the two.

One of Bashir's defining characteristics is his arrogance, as we all know. But his arrogance is channeled by the redeeming parts of his character: his kindness and charity, and his overwhelming optimism about the world. This is what makes him such an interesting character to watch, and his response to Goran'Agar's plight is right in line with it. Not only is he kind and generous enough to want to help the Jem'Hadar, he is arrogant enough to believe that he is capable of doing it, and he is optimistic enough to believe that the Jem'Hadar will respond to their freedom in a constructive way.

In stark contrast to this is O'Brien's harsh, down-to-earth realism. This conflicts with all of Bashir's relevant traits in such a way as to give him the opposite viewpoint. Part of this is that O'Brien was once a soldier. As the Federation edges ever closer to open war with the Dominion, his warrior instincts are coming back to the forefront of his mind, and he approaches any situation involving the enemy from a soldier's perspective. And O'Brien's soldier's perspective tells him that nothing good will come out of a situation like this, one way or the other. It tells him that they need to get out as quickly as possible to avoid worse consequences.

But this is not the only set of conflicting values that 'Hippocratic Oath' presents us with. The other one, at least in this main story, is between Goran'Agar and his soldiers, represented by Second Arak'Taral. Goran'Agar's experience of slowly discovering that his core beliefs about himself are now wrong has made him disillusioned about all he has been taught. He is questioning all of his beliefs that he was given by the Founders and the Vorta. Even his gods have fallen in his eyes. The problem is that, as a Jem'Hadar, his entire worldview has been shaped by them, and reinforced by all his Jem'Hadar brethren who believe the same way. At the end of the day, he is still a Jem'Hadar. Can he separate himself from the Ketracel-White? Yes. But can he escape the influence of the Founders and the Vorta? No, it turns out he cannot. They are his gods, impersonal and distant though they may be. And he cannot bring himself to disbelieve everything he has believed for his entire life.

But his efforts to leave the shadow of the Dominion put him at odds with Arak'Taral and the rest of his men, who are still addicted to the White and thus still buy in almost completely to the worldview they have been programmed with. To question these ideals is perceived as weak to their eyes, and weakness is to be expunged. Only the strong are of worth, because worth is derived entirely from one's service to the Founders. If you can't serve the Founders anymore because you are weak, it is better that you are dead. But they are willing to follow Goran'Agar to some extent, because he is their First and that is the order of things. As the White disappears, this willingness slowly goes too, along with their sanity.

All these clashing perspectives come to a head in the conclusion. Bashir, true to form, wants to stay and try and finish his work. But his arrogant optimism is still tempered by reality, so O'Brien removes his last reason for being optimistic. Was he right to do so? The episode doesn't say. Certainly, Bashir's perspective is portrayed as naive, even though it was legitimately dealt with. But O'Brien is wrong, too - this is a much more complex situation than his perspective will allow. This is one of the things I love about DS9: its readiness to not give you all the answers and to allow you to draw your own conclusions.

There's a 'B' plot here, to drive home the point about complexity and shades of gray. I don't have a lot to say about it, except that it uses Worf well. Fans will be used to seeing Worf alongside the TNG crew, and on TNG terms. 'Hippocratic Oath' cements the reality that Worf, and by extension the fans, will have to learn to play by DS9's rules here. It's good to have Worf take a few episodes to learn this, and it makes sense on both an in-universe and a real-world level. Simple judgments, such as Worf's initial assessment of Odo, are no longer necessarily accurate. We are dealing, as Bashir aptly puts it, with a complex situation here. Good and evil aren't black-and-white anymore. Welcome to DS9, Worf.

Strange New Worlds:

The planet is never given a name. It is uninhabited and in the Gamma Quadrant somewhere between the wormhole and Merik III. It orbits a red giant, but there is an unexpectedly high concentration of chlorophyll in the plants. It is never made clear whether the planet was actually responsible for Goran'Agar's freedom from White addiction.

New Life and New Civilizations:

The mercenary Worf is after, Regana Tosh, is a Markalian. This, as far as I can find, is the first canonical mention of the species' name, although members of it appeared many times before this episode.

Pensees:

-I love the new theme equally to the old one. This one suits the show DS9 is becoming better, and the old one suited the first few seasons.

-Worf never calls Quark by name in this episode, referring to him only as 'the Ferengi bartender.'

-After taking a prominent role in 'The Visitor,' Cirroc Lofton's Jake Sisko does not appear in this episode.

-This is the first mention of Ketracel-White by name.

-Goran'Agar is played by Scott MacDonald, who has had a few other Trek roles. His most famous was Dolim in Enterprise Season Three. I'll get there eventually in my reviews of Enterprise so we can talk about him.

-This is the third DS9 episode directed by Rene Auberjonois, after Season 3's 'Prophet Motive' and 'Family Business.'

Quotes:

O'Brien: "Why can't she be more like..." Bashir: "More like?" O'Brien: "Well, a man. More like a man." Bashir: "So... you wish... Keiko was a man." O'Brien: "I wish I was on this trip with someone else, that's what I wish."

Bashir: "I'm just surprised." Goran'Agar: "Surprised that a Jem'Hadar soldier would want something more than the life of a slave? You know nothing about the Jem'Hadar, except that you fear us."

Wounded Jem'Hadar: "You know the rule. If the death of one will make the rest stronger, then he dies." Goran'Agar: "We came here to be free of the Vorta. It is time to stop living by their rules."

Goran'Agar: "I have fought against races that believe in mythical beings who guide their destinies and await them after death. They call them gods. The Founders are like gods to the Jem'Hadar. But our gods never talk to us, and they don't wait for us after death. They only want us to fight for them and to die for them."

Arak'Taral: "If being free of White means becoming like you, I don't want to be cured."

Goran'Agar: "You are a soldier?" O'Brien: "I have been." Goran'Agar: "Then you explain." O'Brien: "He's their commander. They trusted him. He can't leave them."

Worf: "When I served aboard the Enterprise, I always knew who were my allies and who were my enemies." Sisko: "Let's just say DS9 has more shades of gray, and Quark definitely is a shade of gray."

O'Brien: "I'm sorry I had to destroy your work." Bashir: "You didn't have to, Chief. You had a choice, and you chose to disobey orders, override my judgement, and condemn those men to death." O'Brien: "Yes I did. Because I thought it was the only way to save your life. Whatever else you may think of who I am and what I did, at least try to understand that."

5 out of 6 clashing perspectives.

CoramDeo thinks he won the Powerball. Pshoooo.

[ebenpink]

World News Briefs -- April 15, 2019 (Evening Edition) http://bit.ly/2IF01aq

Daily Mail: 'The inferno cannot be stopped': Fire chiefs say blaze ravaging Notre Dame cathedral is out of control after spire COLLAPSES and the entire roof of the stunning 850-year-old building burns to ashes * Officials in Paris said a large operation had been launched in an attempt to bring the raging fire under control * Pictures from around the city posted on social media showed flames licking up Notre Dame's famous spire * The fire was first reported at 5.50pm (GMT) on Monday and the building was evacuated soon afterwards * Authorities say there were no deaths from the fire although declined to comment on the number of injuries French fire chiefs have warned the devastating inferno which ravaged the world-famous Notre Dame cathedral this evening evening 'cannot be stopped'. An official in the French interior ministry said saving the building 'is not certain' after the spire and part of the roof collapsed earlier this evening - adding that it may not be possible to stop the blaze consuming yet more of the structure. A spokesman for the cathedral said the entire wooden frame of the cathedral would likely come down, and that the vault of the edifice could be threatened too. Read more ....

MIDDLE EAST

Turkey says buying Russian defense system should not trigger U.S. sanctions. Rockets kill 11 in Syria's northern city of Aleppo: Reports. Red Cross reveals staff abducted in Syria. Syria imposes new fuel rations as sanctions bite. Yemen parties agree details of pullback plan: UN envoy. Appeals spark frustration as Istanbul vote count enters third week. 2 million in need of aid after Iran floods: Red Crescent. Doha conference seeks to address impunity for war crimes. Israel's president starts consultations on prime minister nomination.

ASIA

China asks Japan for concrete measures to improve ‘sensitive’ and ‘fragile’ relationship. Women to join Taliban delegation for first time in Afghan peace talks. Moon Jae-in calls for 'substantive' discussions with North Korea. S. Korea's Moon seeks fourth summit with Kim. North Korea marks founder's birthday with calls for loyalty to current leader. Indonesia elections: Candidates focus on economy. India's poll body accused of bias as election complaints pile up. Fukushima plant begins 2-year effort to remove fuel rods. 6 charged with sharing images of New Zealand mosque attacks.

AFRICA

Russia to send soldiers to Central African Republic as part of U.N. force: decree. U.N. Libya envoy says Haftar made coup attempt with advance on Tripoli. WHO: 121 killed, 561 wounded in Libyan fighting over 10 days. Migrants flee to Niger as fighting worsens in Libya. Sudan’s protesters voice optimism after talks with army. Sudanese protesters say military attempted to break up sit-in. Neighbours, world powers anxiously watch post-Bashir Sudan. US, Britain, Norway urge Sudan military to relinquish power to civilians. Sudan leaders face pressure for transfer to civilian rule. Sisi could rule Egypt until 2030 under constitutional changes. Dakar Rally moves to Saudi Arabia for 2020 race.

EUROPE

'Art and history destroyed before our eyes': Witnesses share their horror as the Notre Dame Cathedral is engulfed in flames. Catastrophic fire engulfs Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. U.S. to press allies to keep Huawei out of 5G in Prague meeting: sources. Theresa May: no-deal preparations will continue despite Brexit delay. Finland's Social Democrats party seals narrow election win. Finland's SDP tries to build coalition after narrow election win. Russia blocks news site for anti-Putin graffiti under new law. Violence and dozens of arson attacks break out in Copenhagen after anti-Islam politician throws a copy of the Koran in the air in migrant neighbourhood. Ecuador president says Assange used London embassy for 'spying'. Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral on fire: firefighters.

AMERICAS

Trump ups his attacks with Mueller report due Thursday. Redacted Mueller report to be released Thursday: DOJ. Two dozen Dem senators urge Trump to extend nuclear treaty with Russia. Ilhan Omar says death threats increased after Trump tweet. Poll: Sanders leads pack, followed by Biden and Buttigieg. U.S. to use all economic, political tools to hold Maduro accountable: Pompeo. Foreign intelligence services should exit Venezuela: Lima Group. Canada sanctions 43 Venezuelan officials, people close to Maduro - Ottawa. Alberta election key test for Rachel Notley and carbon tax.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Leader of Isis in Philippines killed, DNA tests confirm. US slaps sanctions on alleged new IS financiers. Taliban announce spring offensive amid Afghan peace push. The remote school at the centre of a dispute between nuclear neighbours Pakistan and India.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Wall Street slips as bank earnings disappoint. Apple, allies seek billions in U.S. trial testing Qualcomm's business model. EU backs start of trade talks with US. EU approves copyright changes that could affect social media content. EU member states approve contentious copyright reform. from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2VMLAFc via IFTTT

[douxreviews]

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - ‘Our Man Bashir’ Review

"We're going to have a wonderful time, Doctor. After all, what could possibly go wrong?"

You'd really think that Garak would know better than to say something like that. Of course something almost immediately goes horribly wrong.

Episodes like this are always a ton of fun, not only for the audience but also for the actors. You can always tell when they're enjoying themselves playing someone so completely different from their normal character. I love that Sisko got to be the grandiose, mustache-twirling villain and that Kira got to be the femme fatale with the awful Russian accent. They were definitely two of the more enjoyable characters for me.

This was certainly a very fun setting for this kind of episode as well. Even though I've only seen one James Bond film, there's just something so classic and elegant about a traditional spy movie that you can't help but get swept away in it all.

Overall, this was an interesting take on the "holosuite malfunctions" trope. The problem didn't come from inside the suite, but from outside. It gave Bashir a compelling reason to stay in the suite and continue to play out his fantasy. If he left, people he cared about could potentially die. If he made one wrong move, people he cared about could potentially die. And of course, he had Garak in his ear prompting him to be cold and calculating, to accept the fact that he couldn't save everyone.

That is what really drove the true tension of this episode. Despite being very good friends, Bashir and Garak are two very different people with two very different world views that stem from their backgrounds and past experiences. Of course, optimism and moral action ultimately wins out in the end, but there were interesting moments where it seemed like Garak's insistence that a proper spy must be willing to sacrifice, to let people die in order to succeed made some sort of impression on Bashir.

Was he actually trying to kill Garak when he tried to leave the holosuite? I don't know. I don't think so. I think that Bashir trusted his aim enough to only scare Garak. But even if that was his intention, it's still fairly ruthless. It's generally not a moral action to deliberately wound someone in order to coerce them into doing what you want them to do.

Regardless, I really enjoyed this episode. It was a lot of fun, the costumes were great, and it focused on two of my favorite characters. What more could a fangirl ask for?

Random Thoughts

There are so many Bond references in this episode, which apparently got them into a little bit of trouble with MGM, who held the Bond rights at the time.

Today I learned that Bajoran surnames come before their given names when writing/speaking them.

I did enjoy Bashir stalling at the end by saying exactly what Garak had told him earlier.

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An Honest Fangirl loves superheroes, science fiction, fantasy, and really bad horror movies.