Past Prologue (DS9 episode)
Encyclopedia
"Past Prologue" is the 3rd episode
of the science fiction
television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
s. The Cardassians state that Tahna is a known member of the terrorist organization, the Kohn-Ma, and request his return, but Tahna attempts to gain political asylum, pleading to his former friend Major Kira
for help and vowing to leave the Kohn-Ma. Commander Sisko
grants the asylum.
Later, Odo spots Tahna with the Duras sisters making covert discussions. Tahna also seeks to gain the use of a runabout from Kira. Dr. Bashir
, thanks to his new-found friend Garak
, overhears the Duras sisters planning to rendezvous
with Tahna near Bajor 8's moon to give him materials that could be used to build a bomb. However, the staff is unable to prevent Tahna from doing anything without material evidence, but instead allow him to take a runabout and to arrest him after the transaction. Kira finds herself confused about her own past with the Kohn-Ma and where her current loyalties stand, and offers to go with Tahna with the runabout.
Sisko and Chief O'Brien
wait on the far side of the moon while Tahna, along with Kira, complete the transaction. When the second runabout appears, Tahna realizes he has been set up; matters are further complicated by the arrival of the Cardassian warship. Tahna orders Kira at gunpoint to return to the station, intending to collapse the wormhole with an explosive device, because then Bajor will have no motivation to invite Federation presence on Bajor territory (Tahna sees Federation as a new occupation, foolishly invited by the Bajor government).
But Kira lurches the runabout to one side, causing Tahna to fall over and allowing her to pilot the ship through the wormhole
to the Gamma Quadrant; there she ejects the bomb causing it to explode harmlessly. However, Tahna has regained control of his weapon and orders Kira to return to the Alpha Quadrant. There, Sisko gives Tahna an ultimatum, either to give himself over to the station's authorities, or to wait to be destroyed by the Cardassians. Tahna hands over his weapon to Kira, and turns himself in; Kira explains that he may come to understand why this was the right thing to do someday.
Episode
An episode is a part of a dramatic work such as a serial television or radio program. An episode is a part of a sequence of a body of work, akin to a chapter of a book. The term sometimes applies to works based on other forms of mass media as well, as in Star Wars...
of the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
Overview
A Bajoran terrorist seeks asylum aboard the station from pursuing Cardassians, publiclly renouncing his past violent ways but secretly ploting more destruction.Plot
The crew of Deep Space Nine rescue the Bajoran Tahna Los from his failing vessel that is being attacked by the CardassianCardassian
The Cardassians are an extraterrestrial species in the Star Trek science fiction franchise. First introduced in the 1991 Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Wounded", the species originating on the fictional Alpha Quadrant planet Cardassia Prime...
s. The Cardassians state that Tahna is a known member of the terrorist organization, the Kohn-Ma, and request his return, but Tahna attempts to gain political asylum, pleading to his former friend Major Kira
Kira Nerys
Kira Nerys , played by Nana Visitor, is a main character in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.-Backstory:Per Bajoran custom, her family name, Kira, precedes her given name, Nerys. She has two brothers , and her parents' names are Kira Taban and Kira Meru...
for help and vowing to leave the Kohn-Ma. Commander Sisko
Benjamin Sisko
Benjamin Lafayette Sisko, played by Avery Brooks, is the main character of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.-Early life and career:...
grants the asylum.
Later, Odo spots Tahna with the Duras sisters making covert discussions. Tahna also seeks to gain the use of a runabout from Kira. Dr. Bashir
Julian Bashir
Lieutenant Julian Subatoi Bashir, M.D., played by Alexander Siddig, is a main character in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Bashir is the chief medical officer of space station Deep Space Nine and the USS Defiant.-Overview:...
, thanks to his new-found friend Garak
Elim Garak
Elim Garak is a fictional character from the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, in which he is portrayed by Andrew J. Robinson. In the series, Garak is an exiled spy from the Cardassian empire and a former member of a prestigious Cardassian intelligence group called the Obsidian Order...
, overhears the Duras sisters planning to rendezvous
Meeting
In a meeting, two or more people come together to discuss one or more topics, often in a formal setting.- Definitions :An act or process of coming together as an assembly for a common purpose....
with Tahna near Bajor 8's moon to give him materials that could be used to build a bomb. However, the staff is unable to prevent Tahna from doing anything without material evidence, but instead allow him to take a runabout and to arrest him after the transaction. Kira finds herself confused about her own past with the Kohn-Ma and where her current loyalties stand, and offers to go with Tahna with the runabout.
Sisko and Chief O'Brien
Miles O'Brien (Star Trek)
Miles Edward O'Brien, played by Colm Meaney, is Chief of Operations in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Before DS9, he appeared as a recurring transporter chief in Star Trek: The Next Generation...
wait on the far side of the moon while Tahna, along with Kira, complete the transaction. When the second runabout appears, Tahna realizes he has been set up; matters are further complicated by the arrival of the Cardassian warship. Tahna orders Kira at gunpoint to return to the station, intending to collapse the wormhole with an explosive device, because then Bajor will have no motivation to invite Federation presence on Bajor territory (Tahna sees Federation as a new occupation, foolishly invited by the Bajor government).
But Kira lurches the runabout to one side, causing Tahna to fall over and allowing her to pilot the ship through the wormhole
Wormhole
In physics, a wormhole is a hypothetical topological feature of spacetime that would be, fundamentally, a "shortcut" through spacetime. For a simple visual explanation of a wormhole, consider spacetime visualized as a two-dimensional surface. If this surface is folded along a third dimension, it...
to the Gamma Quadrant; there she ejects the bomb causing it to explode harmlessly. However, Tahna has regained control of his weapon and orders Kira to return to the Alpha Quadrant. There, Sisko gives Tahna an ultimatum, either to give himself over to the station's authorities, or to wait to be destroyed by the Cardassians. Tahna hands over his weapon to Kira, and turns himself in; Kira explains that he may come to understand why this was the right thing to do someday.
Arc significance
- This is the first appearance of Garak, the enigmatic tailor whom Bashir suspects is a spy.
- Tahna Los mentions the phrase "Bajor for Bajorans" as a justification for his actions. This phrase would later be used by the Alliance for Global Unity (cf. "The Homecoming").