The Maquis, Part I (episode)

When a Cardassian freighter explodes at Deep Space 9, the Cardassians blame Federation colonists in the new Demilitarized Zone.

Teaser
While a Cardassian freighter, the Bok'Nor, is docked at Deep Space 9, a Human posing as a Starfleet maintenance worker tampers with a nearby wall panel. Shortly thereafter, the freighter explodes while leaving the station.

Act One
A subsequent investigation reveals no signs of explosive devices or other obvious methods of sabotage, but traces of mercassium, a compound unique to the United Federation of Planets, are found in the debris of the Bok'Nor. Although the explosion may have been an implosive protomatter device, O'Brien informs Sisko that he cannot be sure.

Starfleet sends Calvin Hudson, the ranking officer in the demilitarized zone along the Cardassian border and an old friend of both Sisko and Dax, to the station to investigate the possibility of retaliatory attacks. He tells Sisko his presence on the border is a joke; his assignment has been to help colonists whose land the Federation gave to Cardassia adjust to the new circumstances. Contrary to Starfleet's belief, Hudson is sure the Cardassians will not retaliate, but he guarantees a response will come.

Later, the man who sabotaged the Bok'Nor is abducted.

Act Two
When Sisko returns to his quarters that evening, he finds Gul Dukat waiting for him. Dukat explains that Cardassian Central Command is unaware of his presence on DS9, but he has come unofficially to help Sisko find the truth about the destruction of the freighter. In order to do so, the two of them take a runabout to a group of colonies in the demilitarized zone, which Dukat describes as "not so demilitarized I'm afraid." There, they find two Cardassian attack vessels attacking a Federation merchant ship; before the runabout can intervene, another Federation vessel arrives and destroys the Cardassians.

Act Three
Back on the station, Quark has arranged a "business" dinner with a Vulcan woman named Sakonna. She is eager to begin negotiations but he quotes one of the Rules of Acquisition: "Never begin a business negotiation on an empty stomach." When he describes the Rules of Acquisition, she finds them logical and "quite reassuring." Once Quark is ready to discuss business, he is surprised to hear she is looking to acquire weapons: she wishes to acquire a continuous supply of "guns, phaser banks, photon torpedoes, troop transports, and a number of cobalt-thorium devices," among others.

In the demilitarized zone, Gul Evek, the Cardassian attaché to the demilitarized zone, is in a heated debate with Cal Hudson when Dukat and Sisko enter the room. When they describe the incident they observed, both sides seem to feel that their colonists were justified. Evek then produces a confession from the Bok'Nor saboteur, William Patrick Samuels, but claims that Samuels committed suicide shortly after giving it. One of the colonists present attacks Evek and must be restrained.

Act Four
Later that night, Hudson warns Sisko that the Cardassians have no intention of allowing the Federation colonists to stay and tells him the Bok'Nor was likely transporting weapons to Cardassian colonists. He concedes that Samuels might have destroyed the freighter but claims the colonists have the right to defend themselves. On the way back to Deep Space 9, Sisko discovers Dukat knew of Samuels' confession but knew nothing of the "suicide." Furthermore, Dukat swears on the lives of his children that the Bok'Nor was not transporting weapons.

Sakonna requests that Quark move the weapon shipment schedule forward and he complies greedily. Meanwhile, O'Brien has confirmed what Sisko believed: The bomb that destroyed the Bok'Nor was of Federation origin. Shortly after Sisko's and Dukat's arrival on the station, a group consisting of a man posing as a Starfleet security guard, Sakonna, and several colonists who were present during the confrontation between Evek and Hudson kidnaps Dukat.

Act Five
Sisko and the rest of the crew determine the course the terrorists most likely took and he, Kira, and Bashir follow them in a runabout. Before the trio leaves, an anonymous transmission from the demilitarized zone attributes the bombing of the Bok'Nor and the recent kidnappings to a group calling itself the Maquis.

They follow the Maquis into an area called the Badlands with which Bashir is unfamiliar. Kira explains that it is an area of the Cardassian border with frequent plasma storms, which pilots generally try to avoid. "Sounds like the perfect place for a hideout," he observes. They beam to the surface of a planet, where the armed Maquis members emerge from nearby foliage &mdash; followed by Cal Hudson, out of uniform.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Memorable Quotes
"He happens to be brilliant, his brain is twice the size of yours and mine."

"I know, I've seen it."

"It's not his fault Gallamites have transparent skulls."
 * - Jadzia Dax and Kira

"And by the way, I'd love to melt that cold Vulcan heart of yours."
 * - Quark, about Sakonna but not to her

"...what I meant was, how about we plan our negotiations to coincide with when you think you'll be hungry? How does eight sound to your tummy?"
 * - Quark, after Sakonna rebuffs his offer of a drink.

"Commander, we just received a general subspace transmission from somewhere in the Demilitarized Zone. A group there is taking credit for the kidnapping of Dukat. They're calling themselves the Maquis."
 * - Kira Nerys

"I'm glad to see you had no trouble finding us, Ben. It seems that one disaster after another keeps bringing us back together again."
 * - Calvin Hudson to Benjamin Sisko, emerging out of uniform with the rest of the Maquis

"I've got every admiral within subspace range on my back. Can I at least tell them it looks like an accident?"
 * - Benjamin Sisko to Kira Nerys and Miles O'Brien

Story and script

 * This episode marks the first appearance of the Maquis, whose origins are rooted in the events of . They later appeared in and several more episodes of Deep Space Nine (such as the Michael Eddington arc of, and ), as well as being featured prominently in Star Trek: Voyager. Michael Piller commented "DS9 is the true inheritor of the Maquis since there is no long term benefit to Voyager". (''The Deep Space Log Book: A Second Season Companion, p 42)
 * An early idea for the episode had Jake get involved with an old friend of Sisko's who was now a mercenary. Ira Steven Behr commented "The way it got started originally was that Jim Crocker and the writing staff - including Michael - decided to do Shane. Don't ask me why". (''The Deep Space Log Book: A Second Season Companion, p 42)
 * The conversation that Sisko has with the admiral was actually included in the script, even though it was not heard. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion - A Series Guide and Script Library)

Production

 * At the suggestion of director David Livingston, costume designer Robert Blackman originally designed a much more revealing outfit for Sakonna than seen in the episode. However when Rick Berman saw it, he told Blackman to tone it back somewhat. Blackman still likes the outfit that Sakonna wears however, as it shows off actress Bertila Damas's figure and is a much sexier look than ever seen on a Vulcan. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion)

Trivia

 * Sisko states that the Cardassians were caught shipping weapons through the Yridians, but in the episode earlier in the season,, it is found to be the Kressari who were acting as intermediaries. It is unclear whether this was a continuity error, or whether Sisko was simply referring to two separate incidents.
 * Referenced Rule of Acquisition: #214 ("Never begin a negotiation on an empty stomach")
 * In the first scene of act 1, when Kira and O'Brien are searching the wreckage of the Bok'Nor, Kira is not wearing her Bajoran earring.
 * When Dukat and Benjamin Sisko enter the Promenade, having just returned to Deep Space 9 after visiting the Demilitarized Zone, it is obvious that the chest piece of Dukat's costume has detached itself from the underlying material. The rubber armor even catches a few times on the actor's lower arm as it swings while he walks.
 * This is the second of three DS9 appearances for actor Richard Poe as Gul Evek. He previously appeared in and would later be seen in, before making his final appearance as Evek in , the pilot episode of Star Trek: Voyager.
 * This episode is the first to refer to the Badlands, and Sisko states that a few ships have been lost there, foreshadowing the occurrences of the USS Voyager less than a year later.
 * The Maquis settlement is a re-use of the set used in an early TNG episode.
 * Captain Boday is referenced for the first time in this episode. He would be mentioned again in (where his name would cause an argument between Jadzia Dax and Worf),  (where it would cause an argument between Ezri Dax and Worf) and.
 * Cirroc Lofton (Jake Sisko) does not appear in this episode, but Benjamin Sisko asks Kira Nerys where he is.

Video and DVD releases

 * UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 20,.
 * As part of the DS9 Season 2 DVD collection.

Starring

 * Avery Brooks as Commander Benjamin Sisko

Also Starring

 * Rene Auberjonois as Constable Odo
 * Siddig El Fadil as Doctor Julian Bashir
 * Terry Farrell as Lieutenant Jadzia Dax
 * Colm Meaney as Chief Miles O'Brien
 * Armin Shimerman as Quark
 * Nana Visitor as Major Kira Nerys

Guest Stars

 * Tony Plana as Amaros
 * Bertila Damas as Sakonna
 * Richard Poe as Gul Evek
 * Michael A. Krawic as William Samuels
 * Amanda Carlin as Kobb
 * Marc Alaimo as Gul Dukat

Special Appearance By

 * Bernie Casey as Lieutenant Commander Calvin Hudson

Co-Stars

 * Michael Rose as Niles
 * Steven John Evans as Guard

Uncredited Co-Stars

 * Scott Barry as a Bajoran officer
 * David Fisher as a Human Maquis member
 * Kevin Grevioux as a security officer
 * Grace Harrell as a female Peliar Zel native
 * Sue Henley as a command division officer
 * David B. Levinson as Broik
 * Joe Mack as a male Peliar Zel native
 * Mary Meinel-Newport as a female Bolian
 * Robin Morselli as a Bajoran officer
 * John Saint John as a Native American maquis
 * Unknown performers as
 * Female alien colonist
 * Ferengi waiter
 * Kressari
 * Three Cardassian Bok'Nor officers
 * Three Cardassians on Volan III
 * Two Human Maquis members
 * Vulcan colonist
 * Colonists

Stunt doubles

 * Dennis Madalone as stunt double for Tony Plana
 * Joe Murphy as stunt double for Marc Alaimo
 * Lynn Salvatori as stunt double for Bertila Damas
 * Unknown stunt performer as stunt double for Richard Poe