Episode complete credited cast: | |||
Avery Brooks | ... | Cmdr. Benjamin Sisko | |
Rene Auberjonois | ... | Odo | |
Alexander Siddig | ... | Doctor Bashir (as Siddig El Fadil) | |
Terry Farrell | ... | Lt. Jadzia Dax | |
Cirroc Lofton | ... | Jake Sisko (credit only) | |
Colm Meaney | ... | Chief Miles O'Brien | |
Armin Shimerman | ... | Quark (credit only) | |
Nana Visitor | ... | Major Kira | |
Rosalind Chao | ... | Keiko O'Brien | |
Caroline Lagerfelt | ... | Makbar | |
John Beck | ... | Boone | |
Richard Poe | ... | Gul Evek | |
Julian Christopher | ... | Disembodied Cardassian Voice (voice) | |
Fritz Weaver | ... | Kovat | |
Majel Barrett | ... | Computer Voice (voice) |
Chief O'Brien is preparing for a vacation with his wife Keiko, but has a hard time to leave things in the hands of others. Just after Sisko orders him to disembark, he runs into an old friend. It's Raymond Boone, whom he served with on the Rutledge. He left Starfleet eight years ago and moved to a colony on the Cardassian side of the demilitarized zone. O'Brien hasn't much time to talk to him and leaves with his wife in a runabout. Barely underway a ship suddenly approaches. O'Brien is arrested by the Cardassians for a crime. They refuse to tell him what he did wrong and transport him to undergo a trial. After a painful preparation a Cardassian Juror, Archon Makbar, makes it absolutely clear his guilt is already established and the trial is only a formality. Odo manages to get on O'Brien's defense team as Nestor, while the crew on the station do their best to come up with useful information. Written by Arnoud Tiele (imdb@tiele.nl)
This has been done to death. A man who has done nothing is arrested. Because the authorities want to get rid of him (for whatever reason) they create a kangaroo court, presided over by an unfeeling, abusive judge. In the Cardassian system of "justice," once charges are leveled, it is just a matter of protocols and the poor sap is executed. We are manipulated to hate this judge and the system (Fritz Weaver plays a ridiculous public defender who offers no defense). Chief O'Brien has no success getting to know what is up. The final scene is curt and unsatisfying, to say the least. A pretty weak episode.