Sanctuary

DVD, DS9 S2 (Sanctuary)

Kira has been well used this season. Naturally, since Bajor is at the forefront and she's the Bajoran liaison officer to the station. She's also experienced a lot, and she's put through it again here, making friends with the Skreean leader, only to find herself in opposition. The story is one of those morality plays Trek does, and sometimes they come off, and others not so much. While not a standout (and not working as well as other displaced people episodes such as 'Past Tense'), it holds the attention.

This isn't a bad episode, but it is a little unfinished in certain areas (Jake and Nog's B-story), and has aliens that look almost as unflattering as the Dosi. In this, they are supposed to look bad, it adds to their negative image of refugees, their plight the point of the story. The arguments go unresolved, and because they're annoying, have stupid hair, wear ugly clothes, and the men are all dim-witted or violent (look out for Leland Orser before his star turn as the evil hologram on Voyager), we find it easier to accept Bajor's decision not to help them. It's quite rare to see a matriarchal society (but as always the men are portrayed as short and stupid!), and for the UT not to instantly recognise their language, so they do at least provoke interest.

We see both sides of the developing situation, and perhaps the Skreeans would have fulfilled their ancient texts and brought joy to Bajor, a world of sorrow, but it was too early for this planet to find solace, for where would the drama come? You might say, the Wormhole... And you'd be right. The second enigmatic reference to the Dominion is the Skreeans true purpose. Before, we only knew the Dominion as an important trade entity, but now we find they have might to drive a people from their planet. It was the first time in the series you get to see a massive number of ships, when the alien refugee fleet arrives, and must have been an impressive sight, even though we don't get a sense of size. The docked ships appear vaguely Klingon, with long, pointy hulls. They also look like they were cobbled together, so maybe, like their owners, they moult bits of ship wherever they go?

One thing you do appreciate when there are guest characters you don't really like, are the recurring characters we know. You could half expect Kira to get in touch with Bareil to try and throw his weight behind the Skreeans plight, except it would hurt his chances of becoming Kai, and Kira didn't believe it was the right solution anyway. Bareil would have been so much better compared to the half-baked, half-awake Vedek Sorad. He clearly wishes he was somewhere else, and wants them to hurry up, so he can get back to his nice, quiet monastery! Minister Rozahn (Shimerman's wife in her first DS9 role) is equally unsympathetic to our eyes, and to the refugee situation.

You can understand their views, and for most of the episode I don't warm to Haneek, but even so, doing good rarely brings bad; an alliance with them might have been highly benenficial in the long-term, but the Provisional Government is short-sighted. It was only the aftermath of the surprisingly tense ship battle, and the death of her son that I felt for Haneek. And by then she's turned cold to Kira, and leaves her guilty for her belief in Bajor's choice. The ship sequence might actually be better for not being seen. The escalation of the situation, from a misguided teen stealing a ship (as in that TNG episode from Season 1), to a bid to make the soldiers see sense, and the shock as a single dot blinks off the radar, is very effective. It's the characters reactions to events rather than the events themselves. Perhaps in modern storytelling, with the relative ease of CGI, this skill of the dramatic has been lost? Necessity, once again, the mother of invention.

As a B-story it's reassuring to have Jake and Nog hanging out together as it's something the season has lost. Nog gets to do some good stuff (such as sqealing like Rom when he's attacked), but you sense the two are a bit older, a little less childish (well, Jake is. He does his Starfleet Dad proud when he's willing to talk to Tumak, highlighting the differences in values of Federation citizens). Quark comes across quite badly, unfriendly views, and harsh business talk. He can be a bit cuddly sometimes, but you have to remember that at heart he is a Ferengi.

Jake's girlfriend, Marta (Mardah?) is mentioned, we hear the station can hold 7000 people, and the sight of so many Skreeans bustling through the Promenade is quite a sight. The final, sad moment between Kira and Haneek, the occasional moment of humour, stops this from dropping into an average episode. But it's strange that Sisko is so reserved, and the episode could almost be watched in the first season (Sisko's mood, plus Jake and Nog doing stuff, and a ship plopping through the Wormhole). Except for that tantalising Dominion hint, that tells you to watch out.

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