Star Trek: Deep Space Nine — 6x01 — A Time to Stand
Synopsis
Sisko and his crew are given an undercover mission that could change the balance of the Dominion war.
Filler rating: not filler
Numerous major long term plot threads are serviced here.
Remarkable scenes
- Garak poking at Bashir regarding his genetically engineered past, and Bashir giving Garak the odds of their survival.
- Bashir: "It's strictly a matter of mathematics." Garak: "No, it's strictly a matter of our lives!"
- Dax, regarding the wedding plans: "Okay. Have it your way. First we'll shed blood, then we'll feast." Worf: "As it should be."
- Sisko banging his hand and breaking the glass on the table after he received the news of the 7th fleet.
- Joseph Sisko: "You're always telling me that space is big, that it's an endless frontier filled with infinite wonders." Ben Sisko: "It's true." Joseph Sisko: "Well if that's the case, you would think it would be more than enough room to allow people to leave each other alone."
- Jake discussing an interview and his articles with Weyoun.
- Admiral Ross sending Sisko and crew on a mission into Dominion space using their captured Jem'Hadar ship they acquired in DS9: The Ship.
- Everyone complaining about the design of the Jem'Hadar ship. There aren't any viewscreens, chairs, food replicators, or medical facilities aboard. :)
- O'Brien to Garak upon boarding: "Pull up a chair!"
- Dukat's conversation with Kira, trying to justify his actions to her.
- Garak, upon putting on the headset: "It's like having a viewscreen inside your brain."
- The Federation Starship Centaur attacking Sisko and crew aboard the stolen Jem'Hadar ship.
- Odo walking up to Weyoun, demanding things, and instantly getting what he wants.
- Julian: "We have to go to full impulse 1.3 seconds before the bomb detonates." Sisko: "Dax?" Jadzia: "The computer agrees with Julian." Garak: "Well of course it does. They think alike."
- The bomb exploding early, destroying the facility and nearly destroying their ship.
- Garak: "Forgive my ignorance, but if we don't have warp drive, how long is it going to take us to reach the closest Federation Starbase?" Sisko: "A long time, Mr. Garak." Garak: "How long?" Bashir: "17 years, 2 months, and 3 days. Give or take an hour."
Review
A fantastic episode to begin the season. This episode gets across one message clearly: war is ugly business and it's spread out over vast distances. There are numerous character threads moving about right now. There's Kira and Odo thinking of a way to undermine the occupation, there's Jake trying to get a story out to the Federation, there's Dukat and Weyoun's constant bickering, there's Dukat and Weyoun trying to destroy the minefield, there's Sisko and his crew fighting on the front lines, and there's Worf and Martok fighting on the front lines. While granted we don't much of Worf and Martok in this episode, this episode does a great job of outlining the rest. These are very exciting times for DS9. As a final note, I love how the writers are openly using Bashir's genetic enhancements now. He's kind of like a replacement for Data. Cool. :)