The Siege (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)

"The Siege" is the 23rd episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It is the third in a three-part story arc, and the third episode of the second season.

"The Siege"
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode
Episode no.Season 2
Episode 3
Directed byWinrich Kolbe
Written byMichael Piller
Featured musicDennis McCarthy
Production code423
Original air dateOctober 10, 1993 (1993-10-10)
Guest appearance(s)

Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures on Deep Space Nine, a space station located near a stable wormhole between the Alpha and Gamma quadrants of the Milky Way Galaxy, near the planet Bajor. In this episode, Benjamin Sisko and Li Nalas help stop DS9 from being commandeered by the Bajorans, while Kira and Dax try to put an end to the Bajoran nationalist movement known as the Circle.

Plot

Bajoran assault vessels approach Deep Space Nine as part of a military coup against the Bajoran government led by the xenophobic "Circle" movement. Sisko announces that he is evacuating the station's civilian population and anyone who wishes to leave; the entire crew volunteers to stay with him and fight. Li Nalas calms the resulting flood of passengers by inspiring courage in his fellow Bajorans. Quark ends up left on the station when a scheme to make money buying and selling seats on the evacuation ships backfires.

Once the Bajoran forces arrive, there is no sign of Federation presence; however, General Krim suspects Federation personnel are still aboard. Coup leader Jaro Essa orders Krim to capture Li Nalas alive, convinced that he can bribe Li into joining the Circle. Krim's soldiers begin a search of the station; Odo uses his shape-shifting abilities to help the crew avoid detection.

Kira and Dax are sent to bring evidence that the Cardassians are backing the Circle to Bajor. Dropped off on a moon where the Bajorans stored a number of small starfighters during the Cardassian occupation, they manage to get one of the craft working and fly to Bajor. Their ship is shot down by Bajoran fighters and they crash.

Sisko and the crew trap a group led by Krim's second-in-command, Colonel Day, in a holosuite. Sisko informs the soldiers about Cardassian involvement with the Circle and releases Day to pass the information to Krim, but the colonel instead tells Krim that the Federation is attempting to wrest control of DS9 from the Bajorans. A scan for Federation communicator signals reveals that they are hiding in the conduits, and Odo informs Sisko that the soldiers intend to flood the conduits with gas. Part of the crew distracts the bulk of the Bajoran forces, after which Li and Sisko capture Krim in an attempt to reason with him.

Although Kira was injured in the crash, Dax gets her to Vedek Bareil's monastery. She and Kira disguise themselves as Vedeks to travel to the Chamber of Ministers. Once there, Kira confronts the ministers with proof of Cardassian involvement. Upon learning of the Cardassian involvement, Krim gives control of DS9 back to Sisko. However, Colonel Day attempts to assassinate Sisko in revenge; Li Nalas steps in the way of Day's weapon blast and is killed. Later, Sisko tells Chief O'Brien that Li was a hero of the resistance and that is the way he will remember him.

Reception

In 2015, Geek.com recommended this episode as "essential watching" for their abbreviated Star Trek: Deep Space Nine binge-watching guide, they noted that this episode is part of a trilogy that includes the first three episodes of the second season,[1] ("The Homecoming", "The Circle", and "The Siege").

In 2018, SyFy recommend this episode for its abbreviated watch guide for the Bajoran character Kira Nerys, as a trilogy with the preceding two episodes.[2]

Notes
  • This is the third part of a three-part story arc (the first in the Star Trek franchise history) which begun in "The Homecoming" and continued with "The Circle."
  • Frank Langella, who plays Minister Jaro, was uncredited in this and the previous two episodes that he appears in.

References
  1. "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine condensed: How to watch the most story-driven Trek". Geek.com. 2015-01-19. Retrieved 2019-07-13.
  2. Krishna, Swapna (2018-01-16). "A binge-watching guide to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Kira Nerys". SYFY WIRE. Retrieved 2020-01-09.
  • Star Trek: Deep Space Nine DVD set, volume 2, disc 1, selection 3.
  • P. Farrand, Nitpicker's Guide for Deep Space Nine Trekkers New York: Dell (1996): 98 - 101
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