Hear All, Trust Nothing

 DVD, Lower Decks S3 (Hear All, Trust Nothing)

Modern Trek had overwritten 'TOS,' both visual and narrative canon, they'd made an entire continuation of 'TNG' (having already ruined some of its characters), and 'Voyager' had also been given much attention (having already ruined one of its characters!), but 'DS9' had largely remained untouched by the sticky fingers of the current players in the Trekky sandpit, and that was A Good Thing. At the same time, seeing Worf in 'Picard' (which came after this), or getting those little hints of Quarks being turned into a franchise across the Quadrant, or O'Brien being considered the most important member of Starfleet by the far future, did make me wish for more, even though I'm always worried they're going to turn once great characters into walking disasters (just like Jean-Luc or Seven...). At least with 'LD' they're quite small-scale in the sense that episodes are short (how much damage could be done in 25 minutes? Actually, this particular episode, as if in deference to Bajor's day/night period, was 26 full minutes!), and effectively being in Starfleet's 'secondary' fleet, what they do doesn't tend to have far-reaching consequences (although tell that to the Pakleds and Vice Admiral Buenamigo...). I was just thrilled we were going to get some 'DS9' characters voiced by the original actors at last, so I awaited this episode with great anticipation, and while I wouldn't rate it as one of the absolute top entries in the series (such as some of the season finales), it was pretty good.

Surprisingly, it's the non-'DS9' plot material that worked best for me: Boimler's mini-story of success at the Dabo table was functional, if slight (who could resist those cries of "Dabo!" ringing out again after all these years!), but it was Tendi's personal issues with her pirating heritage that really struck a chord through a guest character, Mesk, an Orion with a big mouth who's constantly, and excruciatingly, loud and proud about a culture that is clearly not one to be celebrated since it's all about preying on the weak, thievery and general bad space manners. But in true 'DS9' tradition, while commenting on issues, it also turns things around and we see Tendi explode in a revelation of pirating prowess the likes of which we'd never have suspected, in aid of a good cause - namely a kidnapping and escape to the Gamma Quadrant. She really excelled in this, showing her full greenness, and we'd really only had that one Orion episode ('We'll Always Have Tom Paris'), with her and Mariner at an Orion colony in Season 2, to show the nefarious qualities her sunny personality was hiding as she's always been embarrassed about her skills. Mesk was a fun character, the proper shade of green you'd expect when we've tendi-ed, sorry tended, to see lighter shades (though the less said about the 'TAS' variety, the better!), when a rich, darker green was the one most associated with the race in old Trek (specifically 'Enterprise,' but also 'TOS' which birthed them). Through him we get to see someone who uses their culture as a shield or to make themselves feel emboldened and you feel for the guy.

In some ways he reminds me of Worf in the early years, when he was the only Klingon among humans and so was the most Klingon Klingon you were ever likely to meet as if to compensate for his human upbringing, until later (especially on 'DS9'), he became much more comfortable with his unique status and identity as a man who'd found a way to have a foot in each world. The difference is he was never a fraud, in fact took his own culture more seriously than most Klingons would have. I don't know if this was a deliberate callback to Worf, probably not, since modern Trek has rarely been accomplished at being subtle. Indeed, I'd say there's often a disconnect there in the way things would flow best (as seen so often and apparently effortlessly, but as we now know, actually very skilled, in old Trek), and one example here is the failure to include Mariner, the old DS9 hand, in the main story. I can see why they didn't because it would be difficult for Tendi to shine with Mariner there bossing them about, although I could see it happening - but when your lead actress has to ask McMahan to change the ending to an episode so she can actually go on 'DS9' because of the character's connection and past there, it makes you think the writing isn't firing on all warp drives.

Instead we get what is really the weakest part of the episode where Mariner is trying to get in with her mate Jennifer the Andorian's friends in, ewwww, the most girly plot by far in an episode celebrating the most manly and masculine-appealing Trek series ever made! To that extent it is funny to see her having to be in that intensely uncomfortable feminine environment of 'sharing feelings,' making candles and 'expressing' themselves, all sat around on beanbags like a girls' sleepover. It's excruciating, but also for Mariner, which is why it is quite amusing, especially the solution, where she has to Phaser everyone into unconsciousness to preserve air... Because somehow the Karemma device turns off all life support on the station and every ship connected to it... Hmm, I think that might be giving the Gamma Quadrant traders rather too much power, they were never known for their technological prowess but for being a key part in the trading arm of the Dominion - or was it that they were trading with the Dominion, I can't remember, but I'm pretty sure they were a part of it, though not one that was really expanded upon after 'Starship Down' in Season 4 of 'DS9' when Quark and James Cromwell (in his last new TV character on Trek), as a member of the species are trapped in a room with a live torpedo and learn from each other. Apparently Quark isn't exactly enamoured with the Karemma these days, but we don't know if it's true or he was just being defensive to cover his stealing of their technology for his fancy new Replicator (in much the same way as Tom Riker baffled O'Brien by refusing to speak to him in 'Defiant').

The Quark 2000 was another part of the episode that didn't chime particularly well and showed it's not easy coming up with a good scheme for Quark (one reason he had much less to do in the latter part of the series when it was more concerned with war and Quadrant-wide consequences than the Ferengi's latest get-rich-quick plan). Why would the Karemma have superior Replicator tech, in what way was it superior, and how did Quark get his hands on it? The questions aren't important to the plot, it was simply a means to an end. But of course it was great to have my favourite character in all of Trek return, even in voice only, along with Kira, and they really achieved a strong impression of those characters and the kind of interaction they'd have - at the end of the episode when Mariner threatens the barkeep with a copy of the hologram of Quark's head on Kira's body which is a highly amusing and obscure reference back to 'Meridian' (though I suspect she was bluffing him and the chip was empty!), then Kira gets suspicious when he's promised to clear Mariner's tab 'for old times' sake,' he eats the chip and she chases him round the bar. Yes, it's more cartoony, in keeping with the format, but it had that essential antagonism from the series.

I will complain to some extent that, much like 'LD' in totality where the world feels more like 'TNG' days even though aesthetics, uniforms, etc have all moved on from that time, as seen in development through 'DS9,' 'Voyager' and the 'TNG' films, this visit to the station could have been from Season 3 of the series, albeit an episode where Sisko's gone off on the Defiant with most of the main cast. But Kira being in charge isn't strange (when Sisko wasn't there), and Quark being in his bar is perfectly normal, and all is perfectly preserved in amber. Look, I'm glad they didn't do something radical like in the post-'DS9' novel series ('Season 8,' as they liked to call it at the time), where I hear the station was destroyed and replaced with a new purpose-built facility - I like to think of Trek's ships or stations lasting long after the series they served. I just think a little development would have been appropriate. For example, Kira's there, but she mainly still talks about the Occupation, largely as a consequence of meeting up with our Shaxs again, whom we learn served with her in the Resistance (I wish he'd talked about Furel, Lupaza or Shakaar to give it more believability, because otherwise would there be any evidence at all - I can't see Furel getting on well with another big, bold Bajoran guy, either), and while it is fun to hear them bicker about who saved who more (and in reversal of the usual pride, they're each trying to make out they owe the other!), I wanted more depth.

Depth is something I really shouldn't be expecting from a short animated version of Trek, I understand, but we've seen it done (I always think of the Season 2 finale as being the best episode modern Trek has produced), and while I also understand this episode wasn't an opportunity (don't forget, as Quark says when he takes the last line: "Opportunity plus instinct equals profit," I'm just not sure sure about the writers' instincts on this series), to fill in all the details on where the station is in terms of its personnel, what happened to the other characters, or what the political situation is post-war. All these things were examples of what's too often been missing from Trek these days as if they don't want to fill in too much in case some other writer or show-runner is doing something and it doesn't match up. But if they can use minor characters like Okona and ensure he has an eyepatch to create consistency surely they can do other things with more depth and explanation. It's an attitude that goes back to the old days of Trek where they would fill in so much, yet wisely leave some things to the imagination or to some future writer to give them leeway to explore and develop a piece of lore. But as I've noted elsewhere before, that also leaves the door open for inferior creators to co-opt the gaps to their own will for negative purposes (not that many of the modern writers even need that excuse since they'll just change things as they see fit - see 'SNW').

My point is that we'd waited more than twenty years for more 'DS9,' and though we don't need more 'DS9' because it was very nicely wrapped up, and unless they were really going to do a 'Picard' Season 3 on it, it'd never be enough, I really felt more could have been done with this episode. Maybe if they'd cut out the whole Jennifer subplot and instead had Mariner taking her own personal nostalgia tour of the station, flicking back into memory in a way they could bring back any character (though budget reasons would prevent that, unless all her memories were of Morn!). This wasn't the first time we'd seen DS9 on the series, lest we forget they did a flashback before, but this was the real deal: the current station in the current time ('LD' current time anyway), and it looks fabulous, but we don't get to hear much about station life, it all looks as it did, except Kira's gone back to wearing her short-cropped hair again when she'd gone for a more decorative design by the end of the series to suit her higher rank and position. This is only a few years later, and I'm not saying she couldn't change hairstyle, it was just one little thing that suggested they didn't understand why she changed her hair after six years of having it be the same, there was a rationale behind it, but equally it could be they were trying to restore things visually to how the casual viewer might remember. It's not like the station itself would have changed much, and it was lovely to be able to revisit the place again, long my favourite location in Trek, and my favourite series that will never be bettered.

In reality I wanted more, and more like what they did with Tendi, learning about her, something meaningful. It was a bit of a stunt to revisit the station, but the series had always had slightly more 'DS9' connection than any other, simply because it was Trekferencing all the series', packing them in, but also it's a bit more of an outlier (sometimes for good reason since it's humour and tone can be well outside the suitability for Trek), and perhaps for those reasons it has had the strongest links with a series that tends to be less in evidence, even though it often seems to be most popular with those who've enjoyed all of Trek over many years and appreciate it for being the hub of connectivity for all the series' around at that time, not to mention the superior level of writing. That's perhaps the biggest reason it's been left alone, either consciously or unconsciously it's recognised as being so well written and it'd be hard to match today. That's just my 'DS9' bias coming out, but when you look at modern Trek you do see a lessening in ability to write strong, characterful pieces, exploration and development. There's still an unwillingness to examine the post-war situation of the Alpha Quadrant, other than connective dots like Romulus being destroyed, but never to really delve into what that means, other than a surface level, as if Trek viewers can't cope with anything more than comic book action and melodrama.

But enough about my complaints of the state of Trek today, I did enjoy the gags and fun they had with this visit - right from the start when they slowly circle the pylons to the 'DS9' theme (and it did look great, both inside and out, really top animation!), making a comment on the series' stately opening titles. Actually I was surprised there weren't many more Trekferences and little surprises. Not that it was necessary, but they could have happily chucked in detail after detail and I'd have lapped it up in this case. No Jeffrey Combs, even though he'd already made his 'LD' debut in the previous season (and would return in Season 4), no mention of the Emissary (although I may have been reading too much into it, but Kira did gaze pensively at the Wormhole when it opened and I wondered if she was thinking of Sisko in the Celestial Temple), or updates on what other characters might be up to these days. It was funny for being true that our first reaction to the wonder of seeing the station is Shaxs bursting our love balloon with his disgust at a Cardassian monstrosity, although it does throw up a more serious point that he seems unable to move on and forgive Cardassians, an important point in 'DS9' that not all Cardassians are the same. Perhaps it was too much to make his Bajoranness be expressed by hatred of Cardassians, even if there is precedent for it by Chief O'Brien's own prejudices from having gone through a former war with them.

Why was the Federation making trade negotiations with the Karemma at this particular time, I wonder? There was no indication of the changes to the Dominion since Odo went back, we simply don't know anything about anything really. Are the Karemma a more powerful trade force now, and is that because they gathered up Dominion assets? Or do they still count as some connection to the Dominion? Has DS9 upgraded its Tractor Beam range since it seems very unlikely it could have reached as far as the Wormhole? And anyway, wouldn't the Wormhole disrupt a beam like that - maybe not, I seem to remember 'Emissary' ended with Sisko tractoring a Cardassian ship out of the Wormhole. Ransom isn't in it much, but had a couple of good moments, the first being the order to keep circling, then later when the Karemma ship is stopped dead at the mouth of the Wormhole he has the line: "They were as good as Gamma-ed," which I liked. There were a couple of other good lines, too, one from Mesk about Tendi: "Someone got all human-ed up at the Academy," and then when she suddenly shows her true colours (or true greens!), and he expresses surprise that her family were pirates, she replies, "Yep, Syndicate and all!" as she dashes impressively down the corridor. Good stuff! It was also great to hear Mesk sing part of a presumably phoney Orion pirate shanty, and also thanks to him we learn not all female Orions have the aggressive pheromones that enable them to control their men - he mentions it and Tendi puts him straight (makes me wonder if it's only the darker green-tinged Orion women that have this ability).

It was also interesting to hear that at this time, only a few short years after 'DS9,' Quark now has twenty-one franchises across the Alpha Quadrant (the first we ever heard about was in 'Picard' Season 1 when we were given our first name-check and confirmation Quark was still operating, or at least the name was), although at the end of the episode he's forced to go into business with the Karemma so they won't arrest him (surely he'd need to be extradited anyway since this is a Bajoran station - but modern Trek doesn't tend to go into things that make sense that much!), and they'll get 76% of all franchise profits. I feel Quark should have somehow come out on top and we'd have seen that secretly he's going to be doing much better than that, but again, subtlety and invention isn't modern Trek's forte, shall we say... I even found the little detail about Mesk winning a 'religious exemption' to wear his Orion 'multi-key' over his uniform to be a fun little Trekference to other examples, such as Worf's baldric or Bajoran earrings (Starfleet seemingly had a change of policy over the years since Ro wasn't allowed to wear it at first). We find out in blink-and-you'll-miss-it dialogue that it was actually just a wine-opener, but Tendi knew how to operate it so maybe it was more than that after all, or she could have just been doing a bit of Jason Bourne and improvising, though you'd think she'd have called out Mesk if she knew it wasn't an actual Orion tool.

It is disappointing (and not just for Tawny Newsome who plays Mariner), that Mariner wasn't interested in even going aboard DS9 at first and she almost didn't even mention her time there except when she's trying to get out of the girlie party she suggests being a tour guide for her friends because otherwise they'd get lost without her (they have maps - on multiple PADDs again!), but at least it came right in the end and she had her interaction with Quark at his bar. I must say you can tell Nana Visitor and Armin Shimerman hadn't played their characters for many years. You can't disguise they do sound older, and even though I'd heard their voices in recent times in podcasts, it's somewhat sad that they weren't quite right. Part of that has to be the strange and different setup of recording lines in a booth rather than being on the famous sets with their costars, and also to jump right back into it as if practically no time had gone by, and I'm not saying they don't sound or act at all like Kira and Quark, of course they do, but age does change a voice, however slightly. I'm very glad they did come back for it, two of Trek's greatest characters, and I do wish we could have (could still??), have them in live action Trek again. But I'd be worried they'd alter them too much from what they were. When this episode came out in 2022 it seemed like the floodgates were opening and that any and all possibilities for returning characters and new series' were on the table, but in a short couple of years we turned right around to where it seems unlikely almost anything is going to see the light of day. So I'm glad we got one last trip back to the station, and if this is the last time we ever see the old place or those characters, I won't say I'm satisfied, but it is at least a consolation - not an opportunity missed, but not fully profited by.

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