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Bashir plays reluctant host to a
delegation of Federation ambassadors, one of whom happens to be
Lwaxana Troi, mother of the Enterprise's counselor, Deanna Troi.
Lwaxana creates a scene in Quark's when she discovers her
priceless hairbrooch has been stolen, but Odo catches the
culprit and returns the heirloom to her. The Betazoid develops
an instant attraction to the shape-shifter. Meanwhile, much to
Sisko's chagrin, Bashir brings the other three ambassadors to
Ops, where a frustrated O'Brien struggles with the station's
uncooperative computer. Then, an unidentified vessel comes
through the wormhole. Unoccupied, it appears to be an alien
probe. Sisko has it towed to a position a few hundred meters
from the docking ring, while they attempt to establish a link to
download information. Elsewhere, Lwaxana, dressed to kill, makes
a move on Odo, who upon realizing her intentions, nervously
avoids her and makes a beeline for Ops.
Much to O'Brien's surprise,
getting the station's computer to perform a data transfer from
the probe is unusually easy. While he and Dax work with the
data, Odo seeks Sisko's advice about Lwaxana's romantic
advances, but finds Sisko amused that the shape-shifter can
handle thieves and killers but not an amorous Betazoid woman.
Odo returns to the Promenade, runs right into Lwaxana, then
tries to escape into the turbolift, but she gets in with him.
Suddenly, it stops between floors — the power has failed. Odo
signals to be beamed out, but then the transporter also
mysteriously goes dead. Lwaxana finally has Odo where she wants
him — alone at last.
O'Brien is baffled to find that both the turbolift and the
transporter are in working order, even though they aren't
working. Told that he can't even shape-shift his way out, Odo is
resigned to being stuck with Lwaxana for a while. Odo suggests
that he and the Betazoid pass the time quietly, but no such luck
— Lwaxana rambles on and on. Back in Ops, O'Brien informs Sisko
that the computer rerouted the E-P-S power flow
uncharacteristically fast, but for some reason still didn't
activate the turbolift circuits. O'Brien's gut instincts tell
him that, strange as the notion sounds, the computer's
personality has changed — becoming more obedient, and performing
as if it wants constant attention — much like ... a child.
Sisko, Kira, O'Brien, and Dax discuss the mystery, and a theory
develops that they may have actually downloaded a non-biological
lifeform into the computer. O'Brien suggests that transferring
all of that downloaded programming off the station might purge
the lifeform, and sets to attempt the procedure, but the
computer seems to be stopping him at every turn. In the
turbolift, meanwhile, Odo shares some private thoughts about his
background with a sympathetic Lwaxana, who notices that he isn't
looking well. He reminds her that he must revert to a liquid
state every sixteen hours — and this is now hour fifteen. While
time continues to tick away, O'Brien attempts a manual transfer
out of the computer, but sparks suddenly fly from his console
during the process, followed by a plasma explosion around the
station's guest quarters. Fire breaks out in the corridor,
trapping Bashir and the three ambassadors.
While Sisko, Kira, and a rescue team try to cut their way into
the corridor, O'Brien acts on a hunch and begins to construct a
subprogram within the computer that will attract the entity,
which he feels is actually acting like a stray puppy. In the
turbolift, Odo cannot hold his shape any longer, so Lwaxana
lifts her dress to form an improvised basin, into which Odo
dissolves safely to his liquid form. Back in Ops, O'Brien has
the computer route all back-up functions through his new
subprogram, after which all systems come back on line. Sisko and
Kira, now able to get into the fire-scorched corridor, search
through the rubble, and are surprised when Bashir and the
ambassadors come out from a wall compartment, soiled but safe.
Lwaxana and Odo, now back in his humanoid form, are freed from
the turbolift, and she leaves him with a hint of romance to
follow when they meet next, O'Brien explains to Sisko that the
subprogram he built will keep their "adopted pet" lifeform
happy, busy, and out of their way from now on. |
