Home > Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

A Man Alone

Do you need me, Julian?

How did you know it was me?

There are different ways to recognize someone.

The rhythm of their steps, for example.

You are remarkable.

Julian, you and I need to have a talk about Trills and relationships.

Fine. We'll do it over supper.

Quark has found me this delightfully dry champagne, estate bottled on Korris I.

Julian... What is this?

An Altonian brain teaser.

A brain teaser?

A puzzle.

A puzzle? Mmm.

I love puzzles.

How does it work?

It responds to neural theta waves.

The goal is to turn the sphere into a solid color.

And that's all?

That's all.

I've been trying to master it on and off for, oh, 140 years.

Would you care to try?

Yes.

Just sit comfortably.

And release your tension into my hands.

Your hands, they're cold.

It's a peculiarity of the Trill.

Cold hands, warm heart.

Concentrate on the sphere.

Clear your mind.

This requires focus and clarity of thought.

I understand completely.

What is that exotic scent you're wearing?

Focus and clarity of thought.

Yes, yes, I have it.

I'm going to release it to you now, okay?

Okay.

Computer... transfer control to second player.

I think your mind is still a little busy, Julian.

Well... So, are you free for supper?

( door opening )

Ready, Dax?

Sorry.

Perhaps another time.

Maybe you'd like to try again.

Doctor.

Computer... reset.

( conversation and laughter )

Business is good, Quark.

You're almost making an honest living.

A lot of new faces.

Hmm.

The wormhole does bring them our way, doesn't it?

Everyone wants a piece of the new frontier.

And I'm sure you've already tried to sell it to a few of them.

O'BRIEN: We made the decision together.

KEIKO: That's not true.

That's not true. What?

You decided and asked me to agree with it.

Grapevine says Chief O'Brien and the missus are having problems.

I'll never understand the humanoid need to... couple.

You've never... coupled?

Choose not to.

Too many compromises.

You want to watch the Karo-Net tournament.

She wants to listen to music.

So, you compromise.

You listen to music.

You like Earth jazz. She prefers Klingon opera.

So, you compromise.

You listen to Klingon opera.

So, here you were ready to have a nice night watching the Karo-Net match and you wind up spending an agonizing evening listening to Klingon opera.

KEIKO: That's exactly...

Keiko, sit down.

I didn't mean...

What could they be going on about like that, anyway?

She doesn't like it here.

Mmm. Who does?

( footsteps )

Ah...

Huh. Don't even think about it.

I can so think about it.

You might as well try to find a drink of water on the Yadozi Desert.

Besides, I'd say our new Commander is interested in her.

Not at all.

I know for a fact that when she was a he-- you know, before she got this new body-- they were old friends.

Things change.

( laughs knowingly )

MAN: All right, now here we go.

How long has he been here?

All right, one more time.

He came in on a transport last night.

Oh...

Something to eat?

Just steamed azna.

Well, some things are still the same.

If you'd listen to me, you would eat steamed azna, too.

Dax, did I ever tell you about the meals my father used to cook for us when we were children?

All the time.

Every night in my house, my dad insisted that we have supper together as a family.

He would try out his new recipes on us.

He used to call us his test tasters.

Steamed azna would put years on your life.

Dax, I don't want years on my life if I can only eat steamed azna.

Sautéed... rolloped, fricasseed-- fine.

But not steamed.

I've missed your steamed azna.

You must miss Curzon, too.

He was... you were, are... a mentor, another father to me.

This happens to Trills, Benjamin.

Sometimes our friendships with other species don't survive because of the change.

It won't be that way with us.

It's just a little uncomfortable right now.

I suggest that you allow yourself to feel comfortable with your discomfort.

Time can do the rest.

KEIKO: I don't want to talk about this anymore.

O'BRIEN: Keiko...

Dabo!

( laughing )

All right.

I don't want you on this station.

Yeah, well, that's too bad because I have every right to be here.

I decide who has rights and who doesn't on this Promenade.

You better ask your Federation superiors about that one.

I don't have to check with anyone.

You have 26 hours to get off this station.

Look, I'm willing to ask for a transfer if that will make you happy.

That's not fair either.

You'd have to give up your promotion.

Not necessarily.

I wish I knew the right thing to do.

I'm just lost here.

Starfleet doesn't need a botanist on this station.

Keiko, there's a whole new quadrant on the other side of the wormhole full of new plant life to explore.

And ships going to explore it and I'm not on any of them.

We'll be sending runabouts through the wormhole.

I'll see to it you get to go.

I don't need favors from you.

I just need to be useful.

Just think how much more attractive this place could be if you planted some trees and flowers in the Promenade.

You could even create an arboretum from the new specimens we bring back from the Gamma Quadrant.

Do you really want to raise your daughter in this place, Miles?

Kira to O'Brien.

Go ahead.

We have a nonfunctional power transfer grid on level five.

All of the upper docking pylons are out of commission.

On my way.

JAKE: Hi!

What do you want, hu-man?

My name's Jake.

I know who you are.

What's yours?

Why do you care?

Not exactly a lot of friends to choose from around here.

You know what I mean.

Nog.

My name is Nog.

His name is Ibudan.

He used to run black market goods through here to the surface during the Cardassian occupation, gouging his fellow men who needed medical supplies and so forth.

Some Bajorans actually considered him a hero, but I saw him let a child die when the parents couldn't afford the drug that would have saved her life.

A few years back, he killed a Cardassian officer who wanted a payoff to look the other way.

He went to prison for murder.

I sent him there.

For murder? What's he doing out?

The provisional government let him go.

Killing a Cardassian isn't considered much of a crime nowadays.

Doesn't sound like there's much we can do about it.

I can get him off my Promenade.

If he hasn't done anything wrong you can't just arbitrarily force him to leave.

Watch me. Mr. Odo, you're not going to take the law into your own hands.

The law?

Commander, laws change depending on who's making them.

Cardassians one day, Federation the next.

But justice is justice, and as long as I'm in charge of security--

If you can't work within the rules

I'll find someone who can.

( birds and insects chirping)

( sighs )

( chuckles )

What are they?

Garanian bolites.

Come on!

I guess I know the competition now.

What are you talking about, Julian?

Well, did you have a nice dinner with Commander Sisko?

Julian, Trills do not look for romance the same way humans do.

In fact, we find it quite a nuisance.

What? A nuisance?

It's a weakness of the young, and although a Trill host may have these... feelings occasionally it is our wish to live on a higher plane, to try to rise above these kinds of temptations.

You said "try to rise above," which suggests you don't always succeed.

Julian...

Sisko to Dr. Bashir.

Go ahead.

We need medical assistance above the bar in Holosuite Four.

Acknowledged, Commander.

I still have that champagne.

On ice.

WOMAN: Are you done with your shift?

MAN: Just got off, as a matter of fact.

( both shuddering )

( laughing )

Help us!

Somebody help us!

Something is happening to us!

Get a doctor!

( laughing )

Oh!

( embarrassed chuckle )

( clears throat )

( both laughing )

ODO: The door opened only twice.

The first time when the computer logged Ibudan's check-in at 1700 hours, 16 minutes.

The suite was secured, so no one else could enter.

He ran Lauriento massage holoprogram #101A.

13 minutes later the door was opened for the second time but since Ibudan obviously didn't exit we have to assume that's when the killer left.

Any evidence of a beam-in during those 13 minutes?

No. Well then, how did the killer get in?

He might have entered the holosuite the same time Ibudan did.

BASHIR: Cause of death's no mystery.

The knife was thrust directly between the left and right thoracic vertebrae perforating the lower ventricle of the heart.

The murderer apparently had a decent knowledge of Bajoran anatomy.

Doctor, I want you to look for evidence that could establish that someone was in here with him.

I'll do a sweep for hair follicles any skin or cellular remnants and DNA fragments.

How many ships have left since yesterday?

Hmm, two.

A Federation survey ship and a Vulcan science vessel.

Advise all ships in dock that departures will be delayed until further notice.

And they were just looking for trouble.

Those kids had no reason to be hanging around the Promenade.

It's about the only place they have to go.

We can't keep them locked in their rooms.

This isn't like a starship, Miles.

The kind of freedom children have on the Enterprise just won't work on a space station.

There are too many ways to get into serious trouble here.

What this place needs is a school.

All ships have been informed of the delays, Commander. Major, do you know Mr. Zayra, who operates the Transit Aid Center?

We've met.

He was just telling me something disturbing.

I think you should hear it.

It's just that the murdered man, Ibudan--

I spoke to him yesterday about an hour before it happened.

Where was this?

Quark's.

By the dabo table.

It was after his struggle with the shape-shifter.

He told me that he was scared.

He was afraid that Odo would kill him.

There isn't a more honorable man on this station than the Constable.

Maybe so.

All I know is, an hour later, Ibudan was dead.

Computer, lights.

This was Ibudan's quarters.

Feel free to look around.

Double accommodations?

That's what he requested, but only one passenger was logged in.

He probably just wanted larger quarters.

If there's anything else you need...

I want a record of all the passengers onboard.

Of course.

I'll get you a copy of the ship's manifest.

Computer, how many entries made from this terminal during the last 78 hours?

Seven entries noted in personal calendar files.

Show them to me.

Take me to Stardate 46384.

You won't get any argument from me, Mrs. O'Brien.

When I heard what happened this morning on the Promenade...

We weren't doing anything.

I don't want to talk about this now.

It's this Ferengi boy, Nog--

Jake won't be having anything more to do with him.

He's the only one here even close to my age.

That's not exactly true, Jake.

There are 12 other children onboard ranging from eight to 16.

The problem is, there's no structured activity for them.

Don't you miss the schools you used to go to, Jake?

No... I guess.

Studying alone on the computer, it kind of gets boring sometimes.

KEIKO: You know, I've never actually been a teacher, Commander, but it's something I've always thought about doing.

As a Starfleet Commander and a father

I think it's a terrific idea. What do you need?

Uh... some space.

We'll find it.

Computers? You'll have them.

I hope you realize what you're getting yourself into.

I can't force the Bajora, the Ferengi or anyone else to send their children to your school.

And even if they do come everyone has a different culture, a different philosophy.

I know I'll have to come up with an innovative program but I can't imagine any parent not welcoming the news of a school opening here.

Thank you, Commander.

If I hear of you hanging around with him...

I thought you didn't want to talk about this now.

These are the DNA sequence analyses, the cellular spectrographs, and the particulate matter tracers.

I asked Lieutenant Dax to confirm my findings, and I'm afraid she concurs.

There were no new DNA traces found in the holosuite.

You're saying nobody went into the room with him.

Well, apart from those of us who were in there

after the body was discovered, this was the only DNA present.

And we've identified it as Ibudan's. Wait a minute.

Ibudan goes into the holosuite alone.

Locks the door. Nobody transports in.

A few minutes later, he's murdered.

How is that possible?

ODO: It's not... unless the murder was committed by someone who could get through the cracks in the door.

Say... a shape-shifter.

It's a pretty neat package.

His calendar shows he was planning to meet with me at the time of the murder.

No one except a shape-shifter could get into the holosuite.

And since I'd obviously be called there after the body was discovered, traces of my DNA wind up at the scene of the crime.

Do you have any kind of an alibi?

Major, I have to return to my natural state every 18 hours to regenerate.

To be quite honest about it,

I was in a pail in the back of my office when Ibudan was killed.

The killer might have known your regenerative cycle and planned the murder accordingly.

Like I said, a neat package.

Who might want to frame you for murder?

I can think of about 500 different people, but I haven't seen any of them around the station recently.

Do you think that Federation doctor could do a sweep of Ibudan's quarters for me?

See if he can find out if somebody else was using that second bed?

I'll send him over there right away.

Thank you, Major.

Dabo!

You want my boy to go to a Federation school?

Not just Federation.

I'm developing a curriculum that will take a much broader approach.

Little lady, little lady.

What do you know of Ferengi education?

I understand you employ a work-study approach, Mr. Rom, with apprenticeships in a wide range of business and economic fields.

( laughing )

We throw them into the cutthroat competition of Ferengi commerce and anyone who survives, graduates.

Are you prepared to teach that to my son?

I'm sure I couldn't improve on what you've already taught him in that department.

Thank you. Thank you.

I've taught him everything I know.

It's so important that we prepare our youths for the challenges of the future.

Exactly.

Consider the advantage your son will have over other Ferengi once he's learned about other cultures-- once he's learned how others run their economies, conduct business, negotiate...

You will teach my son these things?

Knowledge is power, Mr. Rom.

It can't work.

He will not listen to you.

Why not?

You are female.

So?

My son cannot learn anything from a female human teacher.

Let him try it for a few weeks.

He has nothing to lose and so much to gain.

I don't think so.

Will you at least think about it?

Yes, yes, of course.

Now, really, I'm quite busy.

Place your wagers, place your wagers.

Get this lovely young woman a drink.

What do we really know about him anyway?

He's not one of us.

He isn't one of anything.

( chuckling )

You know what really bothers me?

This shifter was the last Chief of Security when the Cardassians were here.

Yeah, he's the one who caught Ibudan for them.

Why is he still Security Chief?

You're right.

We ought to talk to Major Kira.

Nobody knows him like I know him.

Let me tell you something.

He's an ill-tempered, overbearing crosspatch.

But he was no Cardassian collaborator and he's no killer.

I can't believe you're defending him, Quark.

You're his worst enemy.

Guess that's the closest thing he has in this world to a friend.

( chuckles )

( men laughing )

MAN: Security, huh?

( laughing )

( whirring )

Listen, I hear what you're saying.

I understand your concerns.

We're not saying whether he's innocent or guilty, Commander.

All we're saying...

Isn't it reasonable under the circumstances...

Thank you very much for coming.

( indistinct voices )

Oh, this is wrong.

SISKO: And what would you suggest we do?

He didn't do it.

The man we have in charge of a murder investigation is the prime suspect, Major.

Those people have a right to complain.

DAX: Even if he's innocent, it could still seem like a conflict of interest, Kira.

You're going to relieve him of duty.

I don't see any other choice.

He has been completely candid about this investigation.

He could have covered his tracks half a dozen times already if he were guilty.

I appreciate how you feel, but the decision stands.

I'll inform him myself.

( sighs )

The only curious thing I found were these seofurance fragments near the matter reclamation unit.

Dish, please.

It appears he was trying to get rid of them.

Do you have any idea what they're from?

I know exactly what they're from.

A biological sample container.

I use them all the time.

What would Ibudan be doing with a biological sample container?

Well, that I'm not so sure about, but when I analyzed the fragments

I detected traces of a complex organic structure.

Translate, Doctor.

It suggests Ibudan may have been conducting some sort of medical experiment on board his ship.

He wasn't a doctor or a scientist.

Well, let's see what a standard electrophoretic analysis tells us.

What the...?

The complex proteins are breaking down into DNA fragments.

Now what does that mean?

It means... we should set up a bio-regenerative field to accelerate the cellular development.

If I can reconstruct the DNA sequence it might just give us an idea what he was up to.

Sisko to Odo.

Here.

May I see you in my office, please?

Acknowledged.

Commander?

Sit down.

I am temporarily relieving you of duty.

I'm sure the reasons are obvious.

Who will be taking over the investigation?

I've placed Major Kira and Lieutenant Dax in charge.

Will that be all, Commander?

I want you to know I don't personally believe that you're responsible for this.

Really?

Now, how can that be true?

You don't know me.

You have no reason to believe I wouldn't kill Ibudan if it suited my fancy.

So don't tell me there isn't some doubt inside of you-- some question about whether or not

I murdered the man.

I simply feel that putting Kira and Dax in charge of the investigation will be in everyone's best interest, including your own.

I'll take care of my own best interests.

MAN 1: That's him.

( indistinct voices )

MAN 2: Yeah, they found his DNA...

( fragments dropping )

I can find out who did it for you.

Not for me.

Tell it to Starfleet.

I'm not in charge here any longer.

Well now, there's a piece of good news to brighten my day.

You better take advantage of my absence while you can, Quark.

Oh, I will, I will. Count on it.

I'll have every confidence man in the sector onboard by tomorrow.

You do and I'll...

What?

You're going to get sloppy without me to keep an eye on you.

I don't think so.

You've kept me on my toes for far too long now.

Sure.

I've turned you into a better crook.

Like it or not.

( chuckling )

Quark, think you could use a shape-shifter in your organization?

Uh...

( chuckles )

You had me going.

( laughing )

I did, didn't I?

Yes, you did.

( both chuckling )

You know, I've been asking some friends at Kran-Tobol Prison about Ibudan-- whether he made any enemies while he was there.

Couldn't find any.

Mostly he stayed around the Bajoran dissidents that the Cardassians locked up.

( door closes )

It's growing exponentially.

We're going to have to increase the metabolic field energy.

Just what is it that's growing in there?

Aren't those DNA patterns humanoid, Julian?

Well, that's what it looks like to me, but there's a genetic drift I can't quite put my finger on.

What was Ibudan up to?

We're going to have to wait and see what this becomes before we have a clue.

You can transfer it to the larger field now.

WOMAN: Yes, Doctor.

Care for lunch?

Sure.

No, thank you.

Major Kira's waiting for my report.

Just how many different lives do you think she's led?

I don't even know.

He'll go-- she'll go through a list of them, then out comes another one in a later conversation.

I'd guess that Jadzia is probably the sixth host.

Has she changed much? Changed?

From the last one. Curzon Dax.

I understand a Trill integrates the personality of each new host.

I guess I'll have to find that out.

If I were to tell you some of the mischief he and I used to get into...

There was a time when I was no older than you are we were attending the running of the Rujian Steeplechase.

Dax loves the races.

Anyway, there were these gorgeous, seven-foot

Ruji twin sisters that Curzon knew.

And he and I--

I guess we won't be doing that again soon, will we?

You care for her a great deal, don't you?

Dax and I are just friends, Doctor.

If you're interested, you have nothing to fear from me.

I mean, if I were in your shoes knowing Dax as intimately as you do

I think I'd find her hard to resist.

You don't understand, Doctor.

Dax used to beat me regularly at bare fist

Juro Counterpunch.

Well, I guess you won't be doing that again soon either.

MAN: Let's get out of here.

No, I'm not drinking with scum.

I won't drink near this man.

Come on, let's go.

Yeah, in a semicircle here facing the module.

That's right.

Thank you.

Ah. Here's Mommy.

Where have you been, Mommy?

I've been getting ready for school tomorrow, honey.

Can I come to school? Oh, I wish you could.

At least then I'd know one student would be coming.

( sighs )

But you have to wait a year or two.

How's it going?

We'll be ready in time.

In time for what, I'm not sure.

Aside from Commander Sisko, we haven't had a firm commitment from any of the parents.

What's this?

Just a little something I replicated on the way over.

Help Mommy to open her present, Molly.

( chuckles )

Come on.

Yeah, go on.

Ooh. Pull.

Oh, Miles.

( bell dings )

Thank you.

I want to see you standing in the Promenade tomorrow morning ringing your school bell.

( chuckling )

MAN: Murderer!

I better take her home.

( distant voices )

Murderer! Killer!

Don't you know where you're not wanted?

There he is. Get him.

Murderer! Shape-shifting freak!

( shouting )

You freak!

O'Brien to Ops.

Security to the Promenade, on the double.

Acknowledged.

Yes, sir.

O'Brien to Sisko.

I'm here, Chief. What's going on?

We've got a crowd-- more like a mob-- outside Odo's office.

You better get down here.

( angry yelling )

( yelling and shouting )

Freak! Shape-shifter!

Freak!

Shape-shifter!

Murdering shifter!

Shape-shifter!

Odo's inside?

Yes, sir. He went in a few minutes ago.

The crowd followed him from the bar.

I want more security here, and I want them armed.

Aye, sir.

It's going to be harder to control them if the numbers keep growing.

We can secure all turbolifts-- slow down the traffic onto the Promenade.

Good idea.

( angry shouting )

DAX: Julian, look at this.

The chromatin pattern's changing.

It's definitely humanoid.

It's definitely humanoid.

It's definitely... My God!

Dax, I think I know what it is.

Run a chromosome analysis.

I think we're going to find a gene-sequence degradation.

( chanting ): Shifter! Shifter! Shifter!

Shifter! Shifter! Shifter! Shifter!

Coming through.

What the hell do you people intend to accomplish here?

We want the shape-shifter.

And what do you think you're going to do to him if you get to him?

He deserves to die. 'Bout time!

He's right!

( shouting dies away )

How do you get a rope around the neck of a shape-shifter?

( laughing ) SISKO: Listen to me.

You will disperse immediately.

Return to your quarters. Return to your ships.

( yelling resumes )

( whooshing )

He's a murderer.

We want justice.

Do you?

Justice. Really?

Is it justice you're after or just some way to express your anger, your fear?

Look at yourselves.

In an hour, you'll regret what you tried to do here.

Do not condemn this man because he is different than you are.

We condemn him because of the evidence.

CROWD: Yeah!

Then take that evidence to a court of law.

There will be no justice served here today.

BASHIR: Commander!

Commander Sisko, I believe we have some new evidence to consider.

The man who was murdered was not Ibudan.

What?!

Come with me.

All right, break it up now.

Move on, people. Let's clear the area.

You heard what she said. Let's go.

Come on. Back to your quarters.

Quickly. Move!

A clone.

That's what Ibudan was working on.

Creating a clone of himself.

And then he killed the clone to frame me for his murder.

How can we be sure the victim was a clone?

A clone has identical DNA to that of the donor, but certain cloning methods cause a characteristic gene-sequence degradation which can be detected.

If you know to look for it.

We've matched the victim's gene sequence with the fellow in the jar here.

They're definitely both clones.

And what happens to this one?

In about two days he becomes a living, breathing member of Bajoran society.

ODO: Let's hope he doesn't follow in his donor's footsteps.

What about Ibudan?

I have an idea where to find him.

Computer, lights.

Who are you? How did you get in here?

Oh, I think you know.

I warn you, I'll call Ship Security.

Do that.

I have some interesting questions to ask them.

For example, I'm especially curious to know how the name Lamonay S. came to appear on this ship's passenger list yesterday.

That is my name and I arranged transport on this vessel.

Why should that be so strange?

You did not arrive on this ship.

No.

Well, just what ship did you arrive on, Mr. Lamonay S.?

I can't find any record of your arrival on any vessel that has docked here in the last three weeks.

I assure you, you are in error.

In fact, I think you did arrive on this ship and that you spent the last few years in a prison among Bajoran dissidents, one of whom, I've learned, was a scientist who was arrested by the Cardassians for conducting experimental research into tri-phasic cloning.

Killing your own clone is still murder.

Commander's Log, Stardate 46421.5.

Ibudan has been turned over to the Bajoran authorities

just hours after his clone gained consciousness

and began a new life.

The perpetrators of the mob violence

have retreated into their own business.

To my knowledge, Odo has received no apologies.

Meanwhile, life on the station has begun to return to normal.

Computer, what time is it?

0907 hours.

I guess you were right.

It isn't going to be easy.

Maybe it's just going to take a little time...

Sit down!

Not next to that human boy.

I don't want you to have anything to do with him.

We'll... try it for a few weeks.

Please come in.

Uh, take any seat.

Try to be on time from now on.

My name is Keiko O'Brien.

I'll be your teacher.

Why don't we turn on our computers and access the files on Bajor to find out a little bit more about the people and history of this world...