Heart of Stone (episode)

From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference.

"Heart of Stone"
DS9, Episode 3x14 Production number: 40513-460 First aired: 6 February 1995
←	59th of 173 produced in DS9	→
←	59th of 173 released in DS9	→
	{{{nNthReleasedInSeries_Remastered}}}th of 173 released in DS9 Remastered
←	348th of 726 released in all	→
Written By Ira Steven Behr & Robert Hewitt Wolfe Directed By Alexander Singer
48521.5 (2371)
	Arc: {{{wsArc0Desc}}} ({{{nArc0PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc0PartCount}}})
	Arc: {{{wsArc1Desc}}} ({{{nArc1PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc1PartCount}}})
	Arc: {{{wsArc2Desc}}} ({{{nArc2PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc2PartCount}}})
	Arc: {{{wsArc3Desc}}} ({{{nArc3PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc3PartCount}}})
	Arc: {{{wsArc4Desc}}} ({{{nArc4PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc4PartCount}}})

Searching for a Maquis raider on an unstable moon, Kira is trapped in an expanding crystal formation that threatens to engulf her if Odo can not set her free. Meanwhile, Nog attempts to persuade a skeptical Commander Benjamin Sisko to write him a letter of recommendation to join Starfleet Academy.

Contents 1 Summary 2 Log Entries 3 Memorable Quotes 4 Background Information 4.1 Video and DVD releases 5 Links and References 5.1 Guest Stars 5.2 Special Guest Star 5.3 Co-Star 5.4 References

[edit] Summary

Returning from consultations at a Bajoran colony, Kira and Odo detect a Maquis attack in progress. They pursue the attacking ship in their runabout and due to prevailing conditions, the pursuit takes them down to the surface of a moon with an atmosphere that's impenetrable to sensors.

On the station Nog is in Ops asking to see Commander Sisko on an "urgent" matter, and he's sent up to the commander's office. Nog comes bearing a quantity of latinum, which he's giving to Sisko because according to Ferengi statute, Nog is at the age where he must purchase an apprenticeship. Since he considers Sisko a mentor, he says, Sisko's the one from whom he intends to make the purchase - he wants to become a Starfleet officer. Sisko explains in brief that Nog needs to graduate from Starfleet Academy, the end of a process in which the first step will be to secure "a letter of reference from a command-level officer." Since Sisko is just such an officer, Nog is certain that Sisko will provide the reference... but Sisko says he'll "think about it." Throughout the conversation, the two are pushing the stack of Nog's latinum back and forth across the Commander's desk.

On the alien moon, Odo and Kira track the fugitive to a cave network and witness severe seismic activity. Since they need to cover ground quickly looking for the Maquis fugitive, they split up. Shortly afterward, Odo receives a combadge signal from Kira... who's trapped in one of the caves. When Odo finds Kira, her right foot is completely stuck in some sort of crystal formation that grows spontaneously. Odo attempts various approaches to freeing her, but none of them work.

Sometime later Jake catches up to Nog at Quark's, under the impression that Nog's interview with his father was a joke. Nog angrily assures Jake that nothing could be further from the truth, extracting a promise that Jake will go back to his father and take back his assertion that it was a joke. Jake is confused, and asks for an explanation, but Nog refuses to give him one.

Meanwhile, Odo returns to the runabout and attempts to transport Kira out of her entrapment, only to discover that the nature of the moon's atmosphere makes it impossible to operate transporters or send a distress signal directly from the runabout. As he's returning to Kira's location he hears phaser fire, which Kira tells him was on account of the reappearance of the Maquis they'd been chasing.

On the Promenade, Nog collars Sisko outside Quark's and asks excitedly if he's decided to write the letter of reference. Faced with Nog's persistence, Sisko tells Nog unambiguously that he doesn't consider Nog a good candidate for admission to the Academy - but Nog wants nothing more than a chance to prove that he's better than Sisko's assessment suggests. With this in mind, he tells Jadzia to assign Nog to a cargo bay inventory. Jadzia's equally skeptical, but Sisko wants to give Nog a fair chance to live up to his promises - and that's exactly what he'll get, with "no help, no interference, no-one looking over his shoulder." Nog takes the opportunity with extreme enthusiasm.

On the moon, Kira's still stuck. Working from information provided in one of the criminal activity reports, Odo comes up with an idea for freeing her - but time's growing short. To pass the time while they wait for Odo's solution to show positive results, Odo explains that he's been going to the holosuite with O'Brien and witnessing O'Brien's fascination with kayaking. In the meantime an earthquake strikes, and Odo changes form to protect Kira from falling rocks. After the earthquake ends, Odo continues talking with her at a personal level. In the Replimat Sisko and Jadzia are reviewing Nog's performance on the inventory, which was excellent (Dax notes that Nog 'even found a few containers' that the crew were missing from the last shipment). However, both of them are still completely in the dark about Nog's motivations for joining Starfleet Eventually, Kira and Odo are forced to admit that they're having no success. Kira orders Odo to leave her, but he refuses to abandon her. Kira demands an explanation, and at the cost of demolishing his normal comportment, he confesses that he loves her. Much to his surprise, she tells him that his feelings are, in fact, requited.

Nog is sent to Commander Sisko's office, where Sisko explains that he needs to turn down Nog's request for a reference. Sisko's explanation is that near as can be told, this is another of Nog's schemes, over which Sisko can't afford to risk any of his reputation... but just as he did with Jake, Nog loses his composure and begins to explain himself. As voices raise, he tells Sisko point blank: "I don't want to end up like my father!" Nog goes on to point out that his father shows every sign of being a brilliant engineer, but that Rom doesn't have "the lobes" any more than his own father did... and neither does he. Nog is anxious to avoid his father's fate, and is fixed on joining Starfleet exactly because that will give him one of his best likely chances to use the talents he does have. Having finally gotten a straight explanation of Nog's motivations, Sisko changes his mind and promises Nog his reference.

Matters on the alien moon also reach their denouement. Odo's been thinking about the things that Kira's told him, and they don't add up. Kira's stated feelings don't follow the body language with which he's grown familiar, and there are a number of inconsistencies in the other things she's said. When he's done laying out his thoughts...

"Kira" changes form into the Female Changeling. By way of explaining herself, she says that the whole thing was staged because she needed to understand why Odo had chosen to remain with the Solids rather than returning to his own people. She reveals Kira's actual location, but not before asserting that Kira will never love Odo, because he is a Changeling. The Female Changeling transports off the moon, and Odo retrieves Kira.

Back on the station, Odo tells Kira that he realized what was going on when the Female Changeling made "a slip of the tongue - nothing important.'" In Quark's, Quark is incensed and attempts to forbid Nog from joining Starfleet... only to be overruled by Rom.

[edit] Log Entries

• "First Officer's log, Stardate 48521.5. Odo and I are returning to Deep Space 9 after reviewing security procedures at Prophet's Landing, the Bajoran colony closest to the Cardassian border."

[edit] Memorable Quotes

"It's not important."
"Whatever you say."
"Certainly not worth making an issue about."
"Well, glad to hear it!"
...
"I would have liked to have been consulted, that's all."
"You're right! Next time we are invited out for dinner, I will make sure you are the one to say no."
"I'd appreciate that."

- Odo and Kira Nerys

"I choose you."
"You want to be my apprentice?"
"That's right. I want to be the first Ferengi in Starfleet. Now. Who do I see about getting a uniform?"

- Nog and Benjamin Sisko

"I fail to see the humor in this situation."
"Come on, Odo, it's pretty ridiculous, don't you think? The two of us being outsmarted... by a chunk of crystal?"

- Odo and faux-Kira

"I'll be fine, Odo. I promise not to go anywhere."

- faux-Kira

"No, it's my fault. I should have explained it better."
"Of course it's your fault. Everything that goes wrong here is your fault. It says so in your contract."

- Rom and Quark

"His condition?"
"Vilix'pran is budding. His buds are undergoing individuation in just over a month."
"You mean, he's pregnant!"
"Twins."
"Oh! Reassignment granted. I'll have to make sure I offer my congratulations to the Ensign the next time I see him."
"Well, O'Brien and I are throwing him a baby shower in a couple of days. I think it would mean a lot to him if you were there."

- Sisko and Julian Bashir

"Nog."
"He's asked for a recommendation to Starfleet Academy."
"Nog?!"
"My reaction exactly."
"I always thought it would be interesting to have a Ferengi in Starfleet... but Nog?"

- Jadzia Dax and Sisko

"When we get back to the station, I'm going to start reading those criminal activity reports."
"I'll make sure you get them."

- faux-Kira and Odo

"By myself?"
"Look, Nog, Starfleet isn't just about diplomacy, exploration... a lot of the time, it's just hard work."
"When does Commander Sisko want it done?"
"He would like the manifest on his desk first thing in the morning."
"He'll have it tonight before he goes off duty."
"Tomorrow morning will be fine, Nog."

- Nog and Jadzia

"The, uh, Chief and I are supposed to go kayaking together, in the holosuite."
"You're kidding. How did he talk you into that one?"
"Well, he didn't talk me into anything! It's really quite enjoyable."
...
"I'm sorry, I'm just having trouble imagining the two of you together in a boat!"
"Well, if it helps any, he's the one who does all the singing."
"He sings?!"
"He says it's necessary to establish a smooth paddling rhythm."
"This gets better and better! What kinds of songs does he sing?"
"Ancient human sea chanteys, mostly. He's particularly fond of one called 'Louie, Louie.' "
"I never pictured O'Brien as the nautical type."

- Odo and faux-Kira

"... it's been my observation that you humanoids have a hard time giving up the things you love... no matter how much they might hurt you."

- Odo

"After all, we've been in worse situations than this one, and come out all right."
"Name three... I can't think of any, either."

- Odo and faux-Kira

"So your name is 'Unknown Sample'?"
"No. "Odo'ital" literally means the word "Nothing." Even after it became clear that I was sentient, the Bajoran scientists kept calling me that. As a joke, they split it into two words, like a Bajoran name: "Odo Ital." Which eventually got shortened..."
"To Odo."
"I thought it was the most appropriate name anyone could give me. And then I met you..."

- faux-Kira and Odo

"But I want you to get out of here."
"Don't you understand? I can't."
"You have to. Odo, please."
"No. I won't leave you."
"Why?"
"Because... Because, I'm in love with you."

- faux-Kira and Odo

"My father is a mechanical genius. He could've been the chief engineer of a starship if he'd had the opportunity. But he went into business like a good Ferengi. The only thing is, he's not a good Ferengi... not when it comes to acquiring profit. So now all he has to live for is the slim chance that someday, somehow, he might be able to take over my uncle's bar. Well I'm not going to make the same mistake. I want to do something with my life... something worthwhile."

- Nog

"Maybe I told you I loved you because I thought it would make you feel better. Because I thought that's what you wanted to hear."
"You're lying again. The Kira I know has far too much regard for our friendship to lie to me, even for the best of reasons."

- Odo and faux-Kira

"Well done, Odo. You really are quite a skillful investigator."
"And you're quite a skillful Changeling."

- Odo and the Female Changeling

"She's never going to love you. How could she? You are a changeling."

- The Female Changeling, to Odo

[edit] Background Information

• The Kira and Odo storyline in this episode was partly based on the 1964 Ken Kesey novel Sometimes a Great Notion. In this book, a character's leg is trapped underneath a large log, causing him to subsequently drown when he is unable to free his leg to prevent water rising above his head. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion)
• The title of the episode comes from, and the plot was partly inspired by, William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. (See Shakespeare and Star Trek)
• The origin of Odo's name is revealed in this episode.
• This episode marks the beginning of Nog's journey to become a Starfleet officer.
• It is revealed that a non-Federation citizen, in order to be admitted to Starfleet Academy, needs a reference from a commanding officer.
• The Female Changeling here fulfills the promise to visit Odo which she made in "The Search, Part II".
• This episode confirms the fact that Rom is a skilled engineer, something which was hinted at in the second season episode "Necessary Evil", and something which would be revisited throughout the fifth, sixth and seventh seasons, after Rom becomes a junior engineer in "Bar Association".
• Odo's revelation that he loves Kira is actually the first time he has revealed this information. It had been hinted at in several episodes (such as "The Collaborator" and "Meridian"), and Lwaxana Troi had guessed it in "Fascination", but Odo himself had never admitted to it until this episode.
• Ensign Villix'pran is mentioned for the first time in this episode. He would be mentioned again in the fifth season episodes "Apocalypse Rising" and "Business as Usual", but viewers would never see him on-screen.
• We learn in this episode that O'Brien's love for kayaking, first revealed in the TNG episode "Transfigurations", is still alive and well.
• This is the first episode in which Rom openly defies Quark. This theme would continue in "Prophet Motive" and "Family Business", and would ultimately culminate in "Bar Association".
• The 'rock' prop on this episode was extremely unpopular among both cast and crew. Ira Steven Behr called it "that horrible, horrible prop of a rock". Nana Visitor was also disappointed with it; "It didn't look like I'd imagined it when I read the script. I thought it was going to be like my body turning to stone. Instead I looked like a big old hot fudge sundae, and my head was the cherry on top". Director Alexander Singer said "nothing made the pinkish lavender rock look more realistic", while visual effects supervisor Glenn Neufeld claimed of the actual shooting of the rock that "pretty much none of it worked". (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion)
• Salome Jens consented to be listed in the end credits rather than the beginning credits so as not to spoil the surprise.
• The scene where Nog talks to Sisko about his father is actor Aron Eisenberg's all-time favorite piece of his own acting, and this is his favorite DS9 episode. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion)
• Referenced Ferengi Rules of Acquisition: #18 ("A Ferengi without profit is no Ferengi at all")

[edit] Video and DVD releases

• UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 3.7, 12 June 1995.
• As part of the DS9 Season 3 DVD collection.

[edit] Links and References

[edit] Guest Stars

• Max Grodénchik as Rom
• Aron Eisenberg as Nog

[edit] Special Guest Star

• Salome Jens as Female Changeling

[edit] Co-Star

• Majel Barrett as the computer voice

[edit] References

attitude stabilizers; Avesta; Badlands; Bajoran-Cardassian Treaty; bandwidth; Bemar; Cardassia; Chief Engineer; Chief of Security; computer; contract; covariant oscillator; crystal; dinner; diplomacy; ensign; USS Enterprise; exploration; Ferengi Attainment Ceremony; gas giant; holodeck programs; individuation; interference; ionization; Lissepia; lunch; major; manifest; USS Mekong; Nausicaan; pattern enhancer; Peregrine class; phase matrix recalibrator; plasma field; police record; power coupling; power supply grid; prison; probe; Prophet's Landing; rapids; Remmil VI; replicator; resignation; sensor; shoulder; solar system; Starfleet Academy entrance exam; Starfleet Security; starship; sympathetic vibration; system overload; transponder; tricorder; ultrasonic waves; United Federation of Planets; Vilix'pran; weather

Previous episode: "Life Support"

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Season 3

Next episode: "Destiny"