Empok Nor

DVD, DS9 S5 (Empok Nor)

Must have: suspense, action and a touch of horror. Could use: a mix of aliens, a clash of personalities. Would be nice: slick directing, highly atmospheric music, and a character-motivated story that underlines the action. (And one for the Chief: Could lose - he should have caught all the voles on DS9 and brought them to Empok Nor to release them!). This visit to the station was as productive for the audience as for O'Brien and Nog, though fortunately much safer! Saying that, thunder and sheet lightning did spark up during the most intense moments, followed by lashing rain, so it was watched in the most suitable atmosphere that could be devised, and as 'DS9' (and Trek)'s best sci-fi horror entry, it lived up to previous viewings. Not cosy or funny like 'Tribble-ations' or 'The Ascent,' nor existing to develop plot threads for the series like 'Blaze of Glory,' or making us think with rock hard sci-fi inventiveness like 'Children of Time,' this treads a different and lonely track. If you thought the familiar DS9 space station could be haunting and foreboding, full of dark corners and deep warrens, then this alternative, but almost identical location, will make you warm to it as if it were a happy hearth and home. Everything that DS9, or to be more correct, Terok Nor, is not, Empok Nor is: cold, dark, frozen and abandoned fortress of potential danger warning away the wary traveller from its house of horrors.

I don't know whether it was my knowledge of the story, or a genuine attempt to make 'unsettled' the watchword right from the opening frame, but even in the usually bustling, jolly locale of Quark's bar, there's a detachment from the usual security of the series and characters. The place is practically empty, and the Starfleet customers who walk in (the main cast's 'remember us!' scene, just like the one in the previous episode), are immediately entering a deceptive situation, Quark highly strung as he tries to keep the truth from them: an ear-splitting drilling fills the air and sends them off to the Klingon restaurant (probably doing a roaring trade now that Martok's garrison are firmly entrenched aboard, but just as likely to be as loud and discordant as the drilling if the accordion-playing host continues to be proprietor). That Quark's hiding something, and that things are not as they should be, plus the horror genre staple of quietness followed by a loud noise, sets this apart from expectations of just another 'DS9' episode. Even the camera moves differently, looming ominously into the mouth of the Jefferies Tube in which Nog and O'Brien are at work. I'd never noticed the tone being set so early, but it stood out to me that the Director and production crew were going out of their way to craft the unsettling mood that would become prevalent later. At the same time, we're still in the familiar environs of DS9, so we're distracted (if we like our trivia), by mention of the Klingon restaurant, and by Morn, who, come rain or shine, silence or noise, props up the bar!

The mood is enhanced by the decision to allow us to hear the thoughts (not literally, but what they share with each other), of the guest, or minor characters, in a 'Lower Decks' style, starting when the team are prepping aboard the Runabout, a multicultural group with human, Cardassian, Ferengi and Bolian cultures to explore. After O'Brien's welcomed Garak aboard (more on him and the way he's perceived on the series, later), they continue to converse, while Boq'ta heads to another compartment and betrays his role to us as the jittery, nervous guy (why do Bolians pop up when things get hairy? There was the Bolian Ambassador in 'The Forsaken,' the crewmember in 'The Adversary,' and now this! There might be an argument to say they were more ubiquitous than the Vulcans, on 'DS9'). The stereotypes begin to take shape, but these are real people that we get to know a little about, rather than background extras there to be killed off without a thought. On the contrary, these people are killed with plenty of thought! I like the newness of having the 'scene' that we're supposed to be watching (Garak and O'Brien), moved out of, and while it continues, the 'background' becomes the focus. It's used effectively through the episode to make the situation more creepy - literally, as we're creeping around scenes in the shadows: Garak stalks one of the Cardassians as Boq'ta and Amaro talk; Nog does his soldier thing, lugging the Phaser Rifle (that's almost as big as him), around and stealthily moving about like someone playing in Mega Zone (anyone remember that?).

Is he playing at being Mr. Starfleet Cadet, and just looks a bit childish because of his size and the way he jerks the weapon about, or is he genuinely scouting out the room? Maybe a bit of both. Don't forget, this is Nog's First Mission. Since returning to DS9 as a Cadet in 'The Ascent' he's been seen to help out various people (Dax, Worf, O'Brien), and now he's been rewarded for his attentiveness and voracious learning by getting a place on the mission to Empok Nor. A two-edged sword, as it turns out, but he won't forget the experience, that's for sure! He's greeted with derision by the smug redshirt security officers who are cocky and self-assured, over-confident thanks to all their training, but Nog has had to deal with such people before (Red Squad), but he's got the leader's permission to come into the fold. It reminds me of how Wesley was treated when he was first put in a command situation, or Data, or Deanna. Not that Nog's in command, but he's stepping out and getting noticed and that's when you start to get friction from those already in that position. Even Boq'ta, the galaxy's thinnest Bolian, doesn't rate him, and when O'Brien offers the Cadet as added protection during the mission, he turns him down, feeling safer knowing Garak's out there hunting the hunters.

There's a good mix of people in the group, and even though none of the recurring or main characters die, and it's the cliche of only the new ones who end up under a white sheet, that's the genre they're playing in, so why not do it properly. It's a credit to the writing that these one-episode, glorified bullseyes are neatly drawn and quickly get their character on the wall (literally, for the unfortunate Pechetti). There's also that impression of the sins of each person being their downfall, another common trait in horror. I should say at this juncture that I don't watch horror and don't like gore, but this is done in the best tradition of old-fashioned horror, in that it's all about suspense and frightful feelings in the pit of the stomach or chill up the neck, not unrelenting violence and stomach-churning revulsion, or mystical evil forces. It is mysterious, and another reason why it succeeds, because it keeps things in the shadows, we don't have all the answers, all we know is that our people are being hunted.

It may have been a military experiment, even worse, it may have been an experiment that went wrong and was left abandoned, but we don't know. What we do know is that the enemy are Cardassian. Also, that they're the best of the best when it comes to soldiers. I sometimes wonder if the reveal came too early, and we shouldn't have seen them in their coffin-like stasis tubes (awakening something terrible - another staple of horror). It might have been more effective not to know what was coming, but this is still in the Trek universe, so there are some constraints to be observed. They're shot in a way that presents their faces as skull-like in the deep shadows, but we also see for the first time, how a Cardassian skeleton looks, quite similar to the cover of the novel, 'DS9#13: Station Rage,' which came out a few years before.

What interests me, is that it isn't the danger they meet that's the greatest problem, it's the danger they brought with them: Garak. He's a useful fellow to have around, but as early as Season 2 we saw how maniacal he could be, given the right circumstances: observe him flying off the handle in 'The Wire,' another drug-induced rage, which shows he's got past form in the subject. But Garak as a person, always complex, had become safer in recent seasons. The last time I can remember him doing anything truly evil was when he tortured Odo for information after joining forces with Enabran Tain. Even then, at his worst, he was being accepted by whom we now (pretty much), know to be his Father, and that he gave Odo an out to tell him anything because it was so hard to watch his (pretty much), friend suffering. There have always been extenuating circumstances whenever Garak's done something during his time on the station. While he's not as affected as Quark by the grasping roots of Federation values that have turned his mind more than he might like to accept, he has become softer - we've seen a different side to him thanks to Tora Ziyal, and his friendship with Bashir. He's accepted by the station's occupants, even if he's not entirely trusted at the top (Worf has strict instructions from Sisko to keep two eyes on him when they go off to search for the survivors in 'In Purgatory's Shadow').

He actually comments how strange it is to feel that people trust him, after O'Brien expresses positive feelings about his coming on the mission. Thing is, you never really can trust him, but he's shown at various times that he can be an ally who is, not necessarily dependable, but will do whatever it takes for his goals. Fine, if your goals coexist, not so good when they deviate. His ultimate loyalty is to Cardassia, and we know he's a hard person that spins elaborate lies like clothing, but used in the right way, he is a very handy man to have on your side. A trip to the booby-trapped Cardassian station is one of those times. Without Garak the team might not even have got aboard in one piece - he's able to deactivate any immediate threat, activate the emergency power and artificial gravity (incredibly, all from the airlock!), and his knowledge of the Cardassian mind, particularly the military branch, gives him keen advantage over the deadly guard dogs left behind.

Seeing the episode now, I do note a few stray plot points that might cause the bubble of suspension of disbelief to wobble, but only slightly: why was this part for a fairly inconspicuous Jefferies Tube in Quark's, so essential that for some reason it couldn't be replicated or replaced except by an exact duplicate, which just happens to be on an abandoned station matching that description which isn't strategically important and has been left to hang in the cold emptiness of space, ready and waiting for a crack Starfleet team to go and get what they need? We haven't even heard of other stations like Terok Nor, as far as I remember! Why has this situation never cropped up before? Why was the Runabout (another unnamed variety which upsets more than usual because it's blown up and we don't know if it's one of the ones we know!), not docked when Garak was in the airlock? Did he beam over (I thought a non-Cardassian beam would set it off?), did they dock, and then undock in case something went wrong, or did he float across, a la Picard on the deflector dish in 'First Contact'? He does at least wear the most current form of EVA suit, one reason it's essential for films to be made during a TV series' run - it gives them access to more expensive props for TV, as seen throughout the nineties.

Another case of getting in: how did he manage to enter the damaged stasis tube in the Infirmary without making a sound to alert the Cardassian soldier tracking him? As for his game of Kotra, it seems an odd game when you can throw dice onto the board, knocking pieces off their positions! Does Garak really know how to play? Thing is, this is all setup, not necessary to worry about, and of course they were going to reuse the DS9 sets if they could get away with it. I happen to love Empok Nor, and was thrilled whenever they chose to go back there (twice more - 'The Magnificent Ferengi' and 'Covenant'). The ability of the lighting and directing to turn an alien space station that had become so familiar into a desperately dismal death trap, full of deep, dark corners, indistinct shapes, familiar, yet different surroundings, all unsettling us, is astounding in its simplicity: turn off the lights.

If people complained 'Voyager' was too visually dark compared with 'TNG,' show them 'DS9.' If they complain about 'DS9,' show them 'Empok Nor' - it doesn't get much darker than this! And yet it isn't pitch black, due to the extreme contrast of the lighting. It really feels like a group of intrepid explorers are heading into an ancient tomb or a Russian base (more familiar horror concepts), taking only their own equipment to provide the light and heat they need to survive. The biggest change from the norm is the reliance on torchlight to amp up the mood. People levering doors open and flashing their Phaser Rifle's built-in lamp around is atmospheric to say the least. The light also stands for something: authority. Look how Amaro threatens Garak when he makes to go off alone, before the Chief's given permission. It's an arrow pointing to the deviance from orders. Garak chooses to slink around in the dark to accomplish his deeds, as do the enemy Cardassians. When Amaro puts down his weapon and its torch he becomes vulnerable. All the bravado and fight goes out of him as he finds himself confronted by the enemy, defenceless and weak. The 'mystery shot' comes and he's nervy and penitent about letting Boq'ta down and failing in his duty of protection, a far cry from the cool, relaxed security man who makes jokes about the danger ahead of them.

Similarly, Boq'ta is fine until he loses his fear. Once he knows Garak's out there, he relaxes and chatters away to his protector, getting them both killed because he couldn't be bothered to get out of the workspace and fetch his own tool. Stolzoff isn't quite as headstrong and overconfident as her partner, but she still dies for it. If she'd called for backup as soon at the first sign of the enemy, perhaps she and Pechetti might have lived. His death is the most telling in the 'sin' stakes: he has a collecting obsession for military insignia, and though the Chief makes it clear they won't be indulging his habit, his professionalism is lost when the collector takes over at spying a particularly fine example. Is this a statement on the 'Trekker' penchant for collecting memorabilia, or just another horror tip of the hat? I think it's interesting that a Starfleet person could be shown to be a collector, because as we know, in the future of 'Star Trek,' while people still value material things, especially of great value (books), they don't tend to have a lot of anything, at least the ones in Starfleet don't. Robert Picardo wanted to make collecting a trait of the Doctor he played, and Weyoun was going to become known as a hoarder after his time on DS9, collecting up ephemera of all kinds, but neither of these story lines came to be, showing how rare a collector is in Trek lore (usually bad - see 'The Most Toys' in 'TNG,' and the evil collector Kivas Fajo).

Nog doesn't display any faults, he's a pawn in what becomes a life and death game between Garak and O'Brien. The Cardassian loves to pit his wits against opponents of equal or greater ability than himself, most commonly, as many of his race do, in conversational debate. I wonder what kind of fencing match of a conversation would have ensued between Eddington and Garak, had there ever been a chance! His tendencies are amplified by the psychotropic drug he comes into contact with (looks like chewing gum - yuk, those filthy Cardassians!), which is fortunate in that he doesn't just assassinate Nog and the Chief, but wants to savour every move. O'Brien may well have been a soldier, but that was a number of years ago, and as we've seen in the occasional episode ('Rivals' springballs to mind), he's not the fittest member of the station. Garak, on the other fist, keeps himself sharp, be that in technical skills or physical prowess (he lifts the girder off the stasis tube with ease), though he already had an advantage in that regard, since most aliens (especially the scaly or bony varieties), tend to be superior compared with puny humans, ugly bags of mostly water. He'd taken on Worf at the end of Season 4, and though the Klingon was only momentarily taken by surprise, it's an example of the ambition to test himself against others, that Garak has. O'Brien didn't stand much of a chance in the boxing ring, though it's still somehow thrilling to see him raise hands in a martial stance, just as Garak does, because one's an engineer, and one's a clothier, so we don't see them fight much!

The theme that runs through this one is O'Brien's assertion that he's an engineer, not a soldier (a bit like the classic doctors' lines about being a doctor, not a… whatever), he uses his brain more than his brawn, so 'X' marks the spot with the use of the Phaser and Tricorder bomb which knocks out Garak, but could have killed him. There are some good extrapolation of technology that's been around since Trek began: Phasers as bombs aren't a new thing, but activating something using the combadge, as O'Brien does to detonate the bomb, or making a non-verbal signal to Nog, is great use of such long-established tech. I wish they'd used such ideas more. The combadge is also given dramatic purpose to increase the tension, when Garak chooses to put one not on his chest, its traditional place of residence, but on his wrist, so he can whisper ferociously into it (unless he was trying to recreate the wrist-communicators of 'The Motion Picture,' missing those heady days of vast sentient clouds and dull uniforms).

This being the first time I'd seen the episode in the crisp format of DVD, I wondered if the strings holding up the floating debris to simulate the lack of gravity, would be visible, but it was too dark for that! I imagine when the inevitable Blu-Ray makes an appearance it won't make much difference to the picture because of the intense lights and darks. At the same time it's not too dark to be grainy as you sometimes get on older TV series (I think of 'The Siege of AR-558,' but I'm not sure if it was that way on DVD, or just video). Sound is the most effective generator of atmosphere, and both effects and music were played to perfection. That urgent thump-thump-thump, followed by violin or quietness, is still one of the most memorable pieces of music from the series. You even get the hints of the character's past when O'Brien finally accepts his role as soldier and the beat of military drums is heard. The backbone on which the suspense of the story rests is the history of O'Brien, his time as a soldier on Setlik III, something Garak initially gets under his skin with, but becomes the motivation for the concluding battle. I don't think Garak's angry at Cardassians being killed, he's offed plenty in his time, and been proud of it too, it's much more about testing himself, more than at any other time of his life, because he's stuck living among aliens, no matter how nice (and he doesn't like 'nice' anyway), so to have the chance to let out those pent-up feelings that he's grown around from a young boy, like a twisting trunk around a bent prop, is a release.

He might have used the racism against his people as an excuse if he'd wanted to, and it could be a reason why he kills Amaro, but in the end it was the drug talking, and he purely enjoyed the thrill of killing. The moment he shoves the flux coupler into the security officer is probably the most shocking moment - it's not strange to see a redshirt killed, but not one we've actually got to know, and in cold blood, by an ally! The actual racist slur (spoonhead), occurs in background dialogue as he's telling Boq'ta about Stolzoff, and wasn't meant to be heard, though it already had been used by a member of the Bajoran Resistance of the past (in 'Things Past'). Technically, it was an accurate description since Makeup Designer Michael Westmore was inspired to create the Cardassian look by the fashion poster of a woman with a spoon in the centre of her forehead! Actually, Garak uses some slang when talking about his own people, describing them as 'Cardies' in probably the only time a member of his race called themselves that (though he was making a point about soldiers wanting to kill the 'Cardies' so he wasn't directly calling them that from his own point of view).

It's a shame the episode is so short. No shorter than the usual running time, but it could easily have been film-length, and for once comes to an end quicker than expected thanks to the tension being so effectively bunched up. The ending follows in a line of Trek endings, especially on 'DS9' where two people who've been through a terrible experience have a halting conversation (I suppose the equivalent in 'Voyager' would be whenever Janeway dresses down one of her people), like Odo and Kira after either 'Necessary Evil,' 'Things Past,' or 'Children of Time.' Or Odo and Quark reiterating that they still hate each other after 'The Ascent.' It's a sort of patching up moment, or a time to show where they stand, and it happens between O'Brien and Garak in this one. I think they've both gained a new level of respect and understanding of the other, but it was such an awful thing to go through that it's hard to talk about. It was important that such scenes were allowed screen time, and the series was good at clearing the air instead of jumping right into the next episode or pressing the reset button. The whole experience was a useful reminder not to take Garak for granted, and for him it was a warning that his own nature could cause chaos if he lost control. I don't believe we ever see that level of dangerous spy again in him (though he does his share of necessary evil in 'In The Pale Moonlight'). It had a sobering effect, remaining a standalone episode, but also delving into who these people are or could be, a frightening mirror of respectability, shattered. Oh, that sounds like another familiar horror concept.

*****