Whispers (DS9 episode)
Encyclopedia
"Whispers" is the 34th episode
of the science fiction
television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
.
takes a runabout through the Wormhole. He narrates a personal log in which he says that "they" do not want him to warn the Paradas, although he admits that he does not know who "they" are. He recalls the events leading up to this point, and as he describes them, he enters a flashback
.
Miles had just returned from a meeting with a species known as the Paradas in which they discussed security measures for upcoming peace talks. He awoke to find Keiko and Molly dressed and eating breakfast, at 5:30 am. Keiko seemed somewhat suspicious and Molly did not want Miles to give her a kiss, but he thought little of it as Keiko left their quarters with Molly.
Upon reporting for duty, O'Brien discovered an officer had begun working on the security arrangements without him, apparently under orders from Sisko
. He decided to pay Sisko a visit but thought better of it when he saw Sisko and Keiko having a private discussion on the Promenade. Later, Sisko told O'Brien to report for an annual physical, and when asked about his discussion with Keiko, claimed it was about Jake Sisko
's grades. After an overly thorough examination by Bashir
, O'Brien believed people's strange behavior that morning must have been because he had contracted some sort of disease; however, Bashir gave him a clean bill of health.
Jake asked O'Brien for help with a science project, but when O'Brien mentioned his grades, Jake said they were fine. Additionally, problems he had been assigned to fix seemed to have been intentionally designed to make him spend additional time repairing them. Even Kira
acted suspicious toward him. He reviewed the other officers' logs, which confirmed that Sisko and the others were observing his movements, although to what end it was unclear. When Odo returned from a meeting with the Paradas, he offered to investigate the situation, an island of friendship in a sea of suspicion.
In his log, O'Brien alludes to having made other preparations while he awaited a response from Odo. As he pondered the matter at Quark's, the Ferengi
approached him from behind and declared, "The odds are against you, O'Brien!" Although Quark
was only referring to O'Brien's scheduled racquetball
game with Bashir, the chief asked to change the subject. Quark brought the Paradas up, intent on finding out about the potential customers. O'Brien told Quark to look elsewhere for such information and began to leave as Odo asked him to come to the security office.
After a brief discussion, a strange look from Odo gave O'Brien reason to suspect that the conspiracy
had widened. He was about to leave Odo's office when Sisko and Kira entered with phasers followed by Dr. Bashir with a sedative
. "Who the hell are you?" O'Brien exclaimed, to which Kira calmly responded, "We don't want to hurt you." O'Brien used one of his improvisations to stun the crew members and took out two security officers before fleeing the Promenade.
O'Brien attempted an emergency transport to the runabout Rio Grande, but the computer responded, "Unable to complete request. Please contact station commander for assistance." He discarded his comm badge in a corridor to make it harder for the crew to track him and set up a series of force fields. Using maintenance conduits and his intimate knowledge of the station, he made his way to the runabout and escaped. He contacted Admiral Rollman of Starbase
401 to warn her that the command crew of Deep Space Nine
was under some form of alien influence, but she ordered him to return to the station and assured him he would not be harmed. That was when O'Brien set a course for the Wormhole.
Now en route to the Parada system in the Gamma Quadrant, O'Brien is being pursued by the Mekong. Unable to reach the system before the Mekong overtakes him, he travels toward one of Parada IV's moons and manages to outmaneuver the other runabout, which assumes another course. He follows the Mekong to Parada II and beams to the surface, where he finds Sisko and Kira with a pair of Paradan rebels. One of the Paradans shoots him, and when the door opens, Bashir is behind it along with O'Brien — the real O'Brien. It is revealed that the Paradan government abducted O'Brien and created a replicant
(clone
) designed to assassinate the rebels' delegation at the peace talks. The clone was so closely modeled on the real O'Brien, he was completely unaware that he was a clone - presumably the Paradans intended to activate him at a certain point in time.
Before he dies, the O'Brien clone says Keiko's name and grabs O'Brien's shoulder. "What about her?" the real O'Brien asks. "Tell her... I love..." the clone whispers as he dies.
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...
.
Plot
Travelling by himself, Miles O'BrienMiles 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...
takes a runabout through the Wormhole. He narrates a personal log in which he says that "they" do not want him to warn the Paradas, although he admits that he does not know who "they" are. He recalls the events leading up to this point, and as he describes them, he enters a flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
.
Miles had just returned from a meeting with a species known as the Paradas in which they discussed security measures for upcoming peace talks. He awoke to find Keiko and Molly dressed and eating breakfast, at 5:30 am. Keiko seemed somewhat suspicious and Molly did not want Miles to give her a kiss, but he thought little of it as Keiko left their quarters with Molly.
Upon reporting for duty, O'Brien discovered an officer had begun working on the security arrangements without him, apparently under orders from 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:...
. He decided to pay Sisko a visit but thought better of it when he saw Sisko and Keiko having a private discussion on the Promenade. Later, Sisko told O'Brien to report for an annual physical, and when asked about his discussion with Keiko, claimed it was about Jake Sisko
Jake Sisko
Jacob "Jake" Sisko, played by Cirroc Lofton, is a character on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He is the son of Deep Space Nine's commanding officer, Benjamin Sisko.-Overview:...
's grades. After an overly thorough examination by 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:...
, O'Brien believed people's strange behavior that morning must have been because he had contracted some sort of disease; however, Bashir gave him a clean bill of health.
Jake asked O'Brien for help with a science project, but when O'Brien mentioned his grades, Jake said they were fine. Additionally, problems he had been assigned to fix seemed to have been intentionally designed to make him spend additional time repairing them. Even 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...
acted suspicious toward him. He reviewed the other officers' logs, which confirmed that Sisko and the others were observing his movements, although to what end it was unclear. When Odo returned from a meeting with the Paradas, he offered to investigate the situation, an island of friendship in a sea of suspicion.
In his log, O'Brien alludes to having made other preparations while he awaited a response from Odo. As he pondered the matter at Quark's, the Ferengi
Ferengi
The Ferengi are a fictitious extraterrestrial race from the Star Trek universe. They first appeared in "The Last Outpost", the fifth episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1987, during which they made first contact with the United Federation of Planets in 2364 on the planet Delphi Ardu,...
approached him from behind and declared, "The odds are against you, O'Brien!" Although Quark
Quark (Star Trek)
Quark is a fictional character in the American television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The character, which was played by Armin Shimerman, was depicted as a member of an extraterrestrial race known as the Ferengi, who are stereotypically ultra-capitalist and only motivated by...
was only referring to O'Brien's scheduled racquetball
Racquetball
For other sports often called "paddleball", see Paddleball .Racquetball is a racquet sport played with a hollow rubber ball in an indoor or outdoor court...
game with Bashir, the chief asked to change the subject. Quark brought the Paradas up, intent on finding out about the potential customers. O'Brien told Quark to look elsewhere for such information and began to leave as Odo asked him to come to the security office.
After a brief discussion, a strange look from Odo gave O'Brien reason to suspect that the conspiracy
Cabal
A cabal is a group of people united in some close design together, usually to promote their private views and/or interests in a church, state, or other community, often by intrigue...
had widened. He was about to leave Odo's office when Sisko and Kira entered with phasers followed by Dr. Bashir with a sedative
Sedative
A sedative or tranquilizer is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement....
. "Who the hell are you?" O'Brien exclaimed, to which Kira calmly responded, "We don't want to hurt you." O'Brien used one of his improvisations to stun the crew members and took out two security officers before fleeing the Promenade.
O'Brien attempted an emergency transport to the runabout Rio Grande, but the computer responded, "Unable to complete request. Please contact station commander for assistance." He discarded his comm badge in a corridor to make it harder for the crew to track him and set up a series of force fields. Using maintenance conduits and his intimate knowledge of the station, he made his way to the runabout and escaped. He contacted Admiral Rollman of Starbase
Starbase
A starbase is a facility, often in space, used in science fiction works such as Star Trek, Babylon 5, and Firefly. Typically they act as drydocks, battle stations or trading outposts.- Star Trek :...
401 to warn her that the command crew of Deep Space Nine
Deep Space Nine (space station)
Deep Space Nine is a fictitious space station, and is the eponymous primary setting of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It serves as a base for the exploration of the Gamma Quadrant via the Bajoran wormhole, and is a hub of trade and travel for the sector's denizens...
was under some form of alien influence, but she ordered him to return to the station and assured him he would not be harmed. That was when O'Brien set a course for the Wormhole.
Now en route to the Parada system in the Gamma Quadrant, O'Brien is being pursued by the Mekong. Unable to reach the system before the Mekong overtakes him, he travels toward one of Parada IV's moons and manages to outmaneuver the other runabout, which assumes another course. He follows the Mekong to Parada II and beams to the surface, where he finds Sisko and Kira with a pair of Paradan rebels. One of the Paradans shoots him, and when the door opens, Bashir is behind it along with O'Brien — the real O'Brien. It is revealed that the Paradan government abducted O'Brien and created a replicant
Replicant
A replicant is a bioengineered or biorobotic being created in the film Blade Runner . The Nexus series—genetically designed by the Tyrell Corporation—are virtually identical to an adult human, but have superior strength, agility, and variable intelligence depending on the model...
(clone
Cloning
Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
) designed to assassinate the rebels' delegation at the peace talks. The clone was so closely modeled on the real O'Brien, he was completely unaware that he was a clone - presumably the Paradans intended to activate him at a certain point in time.
Before he dies, the O'Brien clone says Keiko's name and grabs O'Brien's shoulder. "What about her?" the real O'Brien asks. "Tell her... I love..." the clone whispers as he dies.