Accession (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)

"Accession"
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode
Episode no.	Season 4 Episode 17
Directed by	Les Landau
Written by	Jane Espenson
Featured music	Dennis McCarthy
Cinematography by	Jonathan West
Production code	489
Original air date	February 26, 1996 (1996-02-26)
Guest actors
Richard Libertini - Akorem Laan Rosalind Chao - Keiko O'Brien Hana Hatae - Molly O'Brien Camille Saviola - Kai Opaka Robert Symonds - Vedek Porta

"Accession" is the 89th episode of the syndicated American science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the 17th episode of the fourth season.

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. In the episode, Captain Sisko (Avery Brooks) is given a much-appreciated opportunity to relinquish the title of Emissary, but soon comes to regret it.

Plot

An old Bajoran light ship comes through the Wormhole, and its passenger, Akorem Laan (Richard Libertini), claims to be the Emissary of the Prophets. Akorem is well known in Bajoran history as a poet, with many widely read masterworks such as Kitara's Song, Gaudaal's Lament and The Call of the Prophets. Lt. Cmdr. Dax (Terry Farrell) estimates the ship to be 300 years old, however, Akorem states a date as being only 200 years in the past.

At first, Captain Sisko (Avery Brooks) is happy to give up his position as a religious leader for the Bajorans (which Starfleet has never approved of). However, disturbing things soon come to light. Akorem believes that Bajor has lost its way as a result of abandoning the "d'jarra", a caste-based system, in order to resist the Cardassian Occupation, and it must return to that old practice. This would result in the Federation denying membership for Bajor (which Starfleet considers to be a failure of Sisko's mission), as caste-based discrimination is forbidden under Federation law. Sisko must deal with losing his First Officer as Major Kira (Nana Visitor) must now live in the "d'jarra" of an artist, a vision of Kai Opaka (Camille Saviola) questioning Sisko's self-identity and the murder of a 'lower caste' Bajoran executed by Vedek Porta (Robert Symonds) for not following his caste.

Sisko challenges Akorem to regain the office of Emissary, and the two agree to enter the wormhole and ask the Prophets who it should be. It turns out Akorem was a challenge for Sisko, forcing him to accept his role. Akorem is sent back to his own time, to live out his life with no memory of his two-hundred-year-long trip. Akorem's return to the past causes history to change, but people's memories of it remain unchanged. For example, Major Kira remembers that Akorem's work on The Call of the Prophets was unfinished when he disappeared. Reading it again however, she finds that additional stanzas now exist.

In a subplot, Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) tries to deal with the news of his wife Keiko (Rosalind Chao) being pregnant again. Though everyone gives their congratulations, Miles seems at odds about having a second child, thinking about how it will change his ability to spend time with Keiko, though even in the present Keiko seems too busy with work. Keiko's return also disrupts Miles' and Dr. Bashir's (Alexander Siddig) usual time together, which Keiko senses and contrives to remedy.

See also

• "Disaster" - the fifth season episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation where Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn) is forced to deliver the O'Brien's first baby, Molly, in the Enterprise's Ten-Forward lounge (an event mentioned in this episode).

External links

• "Accession" at IMDb
• "Accession" at TV.com
• "Accession" at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
• "Accession" at StarTrek.com