There are many reasons why I love Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and why it remains my favorite of the Star Trek franchise.
Reason #77: “Empok Nor”
Realizing Deep Space Nine needs a new plasma distribution manifold Chief O’Brien (Colm Meaney) enlists the help of four crewman, Nog (Aron Eisenberg), and Garak (Andrew Robinson) to travel to Empok Nor, an abandoned Cardassian base of a similar design to that of DS9. What should be a simple salvage mission soon becomes much more complicated with the discovery of two genetically enhanced Cardassian soldiers who destroy the ship and start hunting down O’Brien’s team. Things further deteriorate as Garak starts to show irrational primal tendencies and goes off on his own against the two Cardasians before turning his attentions to O’Brien and Nog.
This is the kind of episode you would never see on Star Trek: The Next Generation. There are no heroes or villains, only victims and casualties. This is also the closest we ever get to see what Garak might have been like in his glory days with the Obsidian Order – ruthless and deadly. Although the mission is ultimately a success and Dr. Bashir (Alexander Siddig) clears Garak of an responsibility for his actions, that does little to ease his conscience at his part in the tragedy.
