Bashir scolds Martok for injuring himself (again) during a holosuite training program. (He’s being reckless and self-destructive, even for a Klingon.)
On the Defiant, Nog stealthily pantomimes strangling Worf for ordering him to download an operating system “one file at a time.” (The intended comedy in this scene is a bit awkward; Nog’s presence seems random.)
Martok wants Worf to join him as his first officer of the bird-of-prey Rotarran, on a mission to rescue a battle cruiser. It will be Martok’s first command since his traumatizing ordeal in a Jem’Hadar prison camp (s5e14 “In Purgatory’s Shadow” and s5e15 “By Inferno’s Light“).
After some tough-talk about his debt to Martok, Worf secures permission from Sisko to serve on Martok’s ship.
O’Brien, Kira and Bashir grumble about having to take on extra duties while Worf goes on his adventure with what O’Brien describes as “a gang of ancient sea pirates,” as Dax defends the social structure and even the diversity of Klingon culture.
So that the audience understands the stakes, Dax warns Worf what he’ll be facing as Martok’s first officer, and surprises Worf by following him into the docking port. “I’m your new science officer.”
Dax shouts “boo!” at two Klingons who don’t know what to make of her. This amuses Tavanna, the engineering officer, who reveals her mother knew Curzon Dax.
We also get to know the sullen Kornan (weapons officer) and the insolent Leskit (navigation), who does not hide his disgust with Martok, whose focus on the rescue mission does not sit well with his crew.
Worf starts a battle song, and the crew joins without much heart.
In the mess hall, Dax tosses someone out of her place, talks tough about the food, and says she has brought three barrels of bloodwine. She’s fitting right in — but Worf is notably absent from the socializing.
Instead, Worf is trying to make excuses to Martok about the crew’s low morale, saying they badly need a victory.
When the cloaked Rotarran comes across a single Jem’Hadar patrol, it looks like an easy victory, but Martok suspects a trap. His crew only reluctantly obeys his order to steer away. In private, Dax warns Worf that he and Martok are both misreading the situation.
Martok rebuffs Worf’s respectful feedback, leaving Worf is clearly conflicted.
In the mess hall, a drunken Leskit speechifies that the Cardassians are worthy enemies who fight for their homeland, but the Jem’Hadar are simply engineered for battle, and because they have no honor, they are better fighters than Klingons. Dax orders him to shut up, but another Klingon attacks him, then turns on a third Klingon, who seems about to pull a Mercutio.
Dax realizes that they are fighting each other because they can’t directly challenge their captain. That’s the first officer’s duty, and Dax warns Worf to be ready.
After the ship picks up a distress call from the ship they were sent to rescue, Martok remains suspicious. The Jem’Hadar have uncharacteristically not finished off their target. Is it a trap?
In his office Martok gives an unhinged speech to Worf, apparently confirming Dax’s suspicions that Martok is showing weakness.
Later, when Martok learns the ship they were sent to rescue has apparently drifted just across the Cardassian border, he cites the Klingon High Council’s explicit orders not to cross the border, and plans to abandon the rescue.
When it looks like like the crew are about to mutiny, Worf surprises everyone by ordering the ship to battle stations, setting up the inevitable confrontation.
The knife fight was fun to watch, even though a few times one actor was obviously aiming to miss the other, so that the camera could capture a facial expression, or to set up a TV-friendly counter-attack.
The outcome of the fight sets everything right, because this is episodic TV.
Dax gushes, “Sometimes I think I know why I love you,” and the now-united crew sings a lusty war-shanty that continues over an absolutely gorgeous shot of the bird-of-prey swooping into action.
There’s still time for some comedy back on the station, as O’Brien asks Bashir how he’s doing and Bashir realizes, “You don’t really care, do you?”
Klingons return to celebrate their successful rescue mission, and Worf shares a bro moment.
Worf seems denser than usual, because the script requires Dax to articulate (for the benefit of the audience) plot points that should be obvious to a Klingon. A few rough spots, but because we don’t cut away to follow a subplot on DS9, the whole middle of this episode is an immersive visit with Klingons. The story important for the development of the recurring guest character Martok. (After 30 years, I forget where his story arc leads him!)
Not a great episode, but definitely enjoyable.
