Although we are done with DS9 and are now in the Delta Quadrant with Voyager, that doesn’t mean you can’t go back and catch up on the episodes you missed. You can find the rest here!
A missing ship, romance and lost loves are all explored on the episode that originally aired on October 23,1995, this is Indiscretion.
The Episode:
Station Log Stardate Undetermined: Indiscretion
As Kira joins Dukat in a search for a lost Cardassian Freighter that was transporting Bajoran prisoners, Captain Sisko finds his love life getting much more complicated.
The Breakdown:
Story A: Lost Loves
Receiving a message from an old friend named Razka Karn, Kira finds out that a piece of a missing ship she has been searching for may have been found. Soon Kira finds herself distracted by the news, unable to focus on her duties aboard the station, she decides to venture out to find out if she can find the Ravinok. Unfortunately, she is paired with a certain Cardassian on this journey that she doesn’t particularly care for.
Heading into the Badlands with Gul Dukat, Kira begins her journey to find the ship that contained an old friend, Lorit Akrem. They soon arrive at Razka’s ship to investigate the scrap he claims to be part of the Ravinok and discover that it is indeed from the ship they are after. Using the information from Razka, Kira and Dukat head to the planet Dozaria. Once there, they discover the remains of the ship on the surface of the hostile planet.
Exploring the ruins of the crashed ship, Kira and Dukat begin to try to figure out what happened to the crew. Finding twelve graves, it seems that some of the crew were uncounted for. Dukat, in his search, finds a bracelet that Kira instantly recognizes as a Bajoran Pledge Bracelet. Kira soon discovers that the reason Dukat has joined in on this mission was that he was still looking for his Bajoran mistress who he was in love with.
Before long, Kira discovers that there is more to his story than he is letting on. It appears that Dukat had a daughter with his mistress Ziyal and, he is not only looking for his mistress but for the daughter he had with her. Much to her surprise, Dukat informs Kira that he is not there to save her, but to kill her instead as she will have no life worth living on Cardassia. Kira has no plans to let him follow through with his plans.
Before long, Kira and Dukat discover Breen soldiers using slave labor to mine dilithium from the planet. Dukat is shocked to see that his daughter, Tora, is among the slaves being used. That evening they begin their plans to slip into the mines and rescue the slaves. Disguising themselves as Breen, the two infiltrate the mines and stage their rescue.
Dukat finds his daughter and, just when he considers killing his daughter, Kira stops him. Confused and saddened, Tora tells Dukat that her fellow Cardassian prisoners warned her that her father would never let her go home and she would be killed. Tora tells her father that she would rather die than to not be with her father and Dukat give in, asking her to return home with him.
Returning to the station, Dukat and Tora Ziyel head back to Cardassia, despite the problems it will cause for Dukat.
Story B: Sisko ❤ Kasidy
Captain Sisko is shocked when Kasidy Yates informs him that she has plans to take quarters on DS9 in order to allow her to work for the Bajoran Government. That night at dinner, Kasidy is surprised to find Ben doesn’t seem excited about her new career or her staying on the station nearby. Soon Ben finds himself in a rough situation with his relationship seeming to be heading in bad way.
Worried about his relationship with Kasidy, Ben discusses the matter with Jadzia and Bashir. Unsure as to what to do, The Captain confides in his son where he learns that Kasidy has cancelled her plans to take the job and move onto the station. Jake believes his father is scared of the idea of commitment in their relationship and soon encourages his father to tell Kasidy that Ben wants her to stay.
Captain Sisko seeks out Kasidy and informs her that he wants her to take the job and hopes to rekindle their relationship. Kasidy accepts his apology, understanding that he was scared as she is the first serious relationship he has had since the loss of his wife.
Is this a ‘Good’ Episode:
This one, while more lighthearted than most, is all about relationships. There are three key relationships that are given focus in this one, Kira and Dukat, Dukat and his daughter and of course Ben and Kasidy.
Let’s start with Kira and Dukat. It had been hinted at and has become quite obvious that Dukat not only has a thing for Bajoran women but for Major Kira herself. While Kira would rather die than to even entertain a relationship with Dukat, let alone any Cardassian, his infatuation with her has only seemed to grow. Maybe it is because she is someone he sees as an equal or just that she is someone he never caught, regardless, it is there. Although Kira would never entertain such a notion, it is a huge step for her to be comfortable going alone on a mission with the man who was in charge of the very occupation that subjugated her people. Earlier in the series, she would have been inflamed at the prospect of them working together, showing that Kira has significantly grown as a person in the few years she has served with Captain Sisko. On the other hand, it also seems that Dukat has softened a bit since the downfall of the Cardassian government, causing him to have some serious personal reflection. There is a wonderful scene in which Dukat sits on a thorn and Kira has to pull it out showing just how far this relationship has evolved.
This episode introduces Ziyal, Dukat’s daughter, and heavily implies the complications her existence will bring him. While she had held out hope that her father would come to save her, she has seen the real Dukat for a moment as he contemplated killing her instead of dealing with the fallout of her very being. This single event will form the basis of their relationship from this point forward, and trust me, this is not over yet.
Finally we come to Ben Sisko and Kasidy Yates. For Sisko, the thought of being with another woman in the same way he was with Jennifer isnt even a consideration. He still feels responsible for the death of his wife and has held nearly every woman he has encountered at arms length so that he does not have to deal with those feelings. When Kasidy informs him of her intentions to move closer, this very act sends our beloved Captain into a tail spin. Even though it is clear that Jake is okay with his father dating, Ben has never given himself permission to move on from the loss of his late wife. It is only when he is at risk of losing someone he discovers that maybe there is something there to hold on to.
Kasidy on the other hand, while saddened, really didn’t seem like it was that big of a deal. Sure she was hurt by Sisko’s actions but, since she is her own person, she clearly chose to move on and do what was best for her and her alone. It is refreshing to see a character like Kasidy Yates representing a strong willed woman who frankly, is her own person no matter what. Most people forget just how important Yates is to the show and the development of Ben and Jake’s futures. This journey for Kasidy and Ben is far from over either and only gets better.
Gleanings and Cool Bits:
- This is the first appearance of Dukat’s daughter Ziyal, she will return.
- This also marks the first appearance of The Breen although they had been mentioned before on STNG. Interesting how they looks very similar to a certain other character from another scifi film series…
- This episode was directed by none other than Geordi himself, LeVar Burton. This marks Burton’s directorial debut on DS9 after having directed two of the TNG episodes.
Thanks for reading the Retro TV Review, I look forward to discussing the rest of the series with you, one episode at a time every Monday, Wednesday and Friday! Next Review: Rejoined
If you would like to read more reviews I have a weekly series called Key Movies Of My Life that comes out every Thursday and for more retro TV goodness check out the rest of the Retro TV Reviews here.
As always, please feel free to comment below and share your experiences with these episodes as well. If you just happened by, tell me what you think! Don’t Forget To Follow me if you like the blog!
Late To The Game 7/25/2021 (Originally published 8/16/2019)
Special Thanks to Memory Alpha as they are one of the best sources for details on Star Trek information available. Although I have a pretty deep knowledge on the subject, they have proven invaluable as a regular resource.
“Star Trek and all related marks, logos and characters are solely owned by CBS Studios Inc. This fan production is not endorsed by, sponsored by, nor affiliated with CBS, Paramount Pictures, or any other Star Trek franchise, and is a non-commercial fan-made production intended for recreational use. No commercial exhibition or distribution is permitted. No alleged independent rights will be asserted against CBS or Paramount Pictures.”
Late to the Game Blog 