33. Armageddon Game

Summary

Two long-warring races, the Kellerun and the T'Lani, have finally made peace and Dr. Bashir and Chief O'Brien are assisting them in the search for a way to destroy their biogenetic weapons, the Harvesters. Bashir finally finds a way to neutralize the weapons and they begin the process of destroying the entire supply. As the last canister is neutralized, Kellerun soldiers appear on the ship and kill all the scientists in the room. Bashir and the Chief escape to T'Lani III, but the Chief has been infected by the Harvesters and they have no way to contact the T'Lani. Meanwhile on DS9, both the Kellerun and the T'Lani ambassadors come to the station and inform Sisko that both of his officers were killed, producing a security recording that shows the entire science staff, including Bashir and O'Brien, vaporized by an obscure security system that had been long forgotten. Keiko suspects the recording has been faked because in it, Miles is seen drinking coffee, which she says he never does in the afternoon. On T'Lani, the Chief becomes increasingly ill as he tries to repair a communications console so they can call for help, but isn't able to continue and Bashir has to complete the repairs under his guidance. Soon enough they're glad to see the T'Lani arrive...but their relief is short-lived when the Kelleruns are with them and both races are intent on killing them. It turns out that both governments have decided not only to wipe out the Harvesters, but to kill anyone who has any knowledge of them, including the two humans. Just as Julian and Miles are about to be shot, they are beamed away by Dax and Sisko, who've discovered the subterfuge. After eluding the T'lani ship, they return safely to DS9, where O'Brien surprises his wife by requesting coffee...in the late afternoon.

Analysis

Ehh. Nothing very thrilling. I never find it very compelling when an episode centers on some conflict between two races I've never heard of and likely wil never hear of again. It's hard to work up any enthusiasm for such a dynamic in forty-two minutes. Of course this episode is really about Bashir and O'Brien, who are forced by plot contrivance into that oldest of all male-bonding chestnuts...the "facing death with one of the bondees injured" cliche. No attempt is even made to deviate from such standard dramatic fare, it's all by the numbers, right down to the reminiscing about lost loves. The only real surprise is that at the end of the episode the two aren't best buddies...but this episode did mark the beginning of what would become a real friendship. One plot element I did like was the very last line's little kick in the shorts...Keiko's entire reason for suspecting the recording was false, the Chief's coffee habits, turned out to be completely wrong. I guess sometimes you just get lucky. This episode does merit the Wacky Hairdo award, but all things considered it's pretty much a wasted forty-two minutes.

Rating: 2.5

Memorable Quote:

Quark: Let me just say this...and it's the greatest compliment I can think of...they were good customers. They always paid their bar bills on time.
Kira: That's it?
Quark: I wasn't finished. As the 35th Rule of Acquisition states: "treat good customers like gold-pressed latinum...treasure them."

Classic Scene:

I'm not sure there is one.

Sexually Slanted Line 'O the Episode:

"Let's get started, or we will be here a month." --O'Brien...what stamina!

The O/K Status Report

Negative, captain.

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